d to take chief interest in a morbid way in the body
and one or two were inclined to handle it, but this was stopped by the
Coroner, who promptly proceeded to herd them and march them through the
rooms.

After they had made a tour of the sitting-room, they followed in wake of
the Coroner, through the passageway and bedroom and back into the
sitting-room again. How much they really did observe that was worth
while, I don't know, but I think very little. This formal ceremony over,
they were indulged in another look at poor White and then taken away to
meet later to "hear evidence and find a verdict."

Once they were gone, I drew a sigh of relief and in company with the
Inspector and detective entered upon what was the real search of the
premises. With the sitting-room and its contents I was very familiar,
and nothing new was developed to interest me until the detective,
leaning over the divan and White's body, reached down between it and the
wall, where there was a space of a few inches, and brought out a small
plaid cap that I recognized as being a match to the plaid ulster that
was missing.

The cap had been lying on the floor directly under White's head, where
it partially hung over the divan, and had apparently fallen there when
he lay down. On seeing it I could not suppress an exclamation of
surprise which drew the attention of the officers; so I explained to
them that I had not seen the cap since the night before, when it had
been lying on a chair with the ulster, and that from its present place I
concluded White must have worn it, whereas I had not supposed he had
gone out after I had left him.

"But he did go out," said the Inspector, "and not very long after you
left."

"But if he wore that cap," I inquired, "how about the ulster that was
here last night. Where is it gone?"

"We don't know yet," he replied, "what he wore when he went out; we only
know that he did go out." This ended the discussion of the subject for
the time.

From the sitting-room we went through the passageway, which contained
nothing but some coats and hats hanging from hooks, the plaid ulster not
being among them, and then into the bedroom. I saw nothing of interest
here; the room was comfortably furnished, but not unusual in any way.
The bed had not been disturbed, and everything was in perfect order. Two
windows in the rear opened into a yard about six feet below, and one was
down from the top, about six inches; otherwise they were