hed voice. "A ghastly way
to die; I 'd give a lot to know how it happened." Then he looked
brightly at me, and asked with an almost boyish impulsiveness:

"Are you a detective--like Stodger here?"

"I 'm a detective," I told him; "though I don't know how closely I
resemble Stodger." A sound came from that worthy that made me think he
was strangling. "Swift is my name."

Maillot suddenly thrust out his right hand.

"Glad to know you, Swift," he said heartily. "You look like a sensible
chap. I 'm willing to do all I can to help you--of course I am. It
won't be much, I 'm afraid. But if any thick-headed cop says I can't
do this or can't do that, there 's going to be trouble. They can't
bluff me, and I know they have n't any right to dictate what I shall
do."

All of which was quite true. Maillot glanced at the body again, and
lowered his voice.

"Say," he said, "can't we go to a more appropriate place to talk
matters over?"

"Yes--the library," suggested I.

He drew back, and his face darkened.

"Library!" he echoed.

"There 's a fire there now," I informed him, wondering at his
quick-changing moods. Next instant he was talking again, eagerly.

"But--look here, Swift--you have n't examined the body yet, have you?
I 'm curious to see whether you discover anything. Queer old chap he
was; I don't think anybody ever understood him."

He broke off and eyed Stodger severely.

"What the deuce are you laughing at, Stodger?" he demanded.

Stodger laid a hand upon his arm, and asked with husky eagerness:

"On the level, Maillot--between us, you know--just what did you say
last night when somebody pulled the shade down over that lamp of yours?"

"You go to thunder," Maillot retorted, turning his back upon him.

"Pshaw! I 'll bet it was hotter than that," said Stodger, in a
disappointed tone.

Now, then, here were the parts of the puzzle I had to piece together in
order to gain some conception of the manner in which Felix Page met his
death.

The still form lay, as I have already stated, on the landing which
extended across the rear of the hall like a balcony. The stairs
continued thence up to the second story, but in a direction exactly the
reverse of the first flight and on the opposite side of the hall
therefrom.

Standing midway upon this landing, I had a view not only of the entire
spacious hall, but could also see the top of the _etagere_ tipped
forward at the head of the stairs. It had