ot yet sure of. Nor did the detective feel quite easy at the
readiness of his reception; nor any too well pleased to accept the
invitation which this man now gave them to enter his room.

But he suffered no betrayal of his misgivings to escape him, though he
was careful to intimate to George, as they waited in the doorway for the
other to light up, that he should not be displeased at his refusal to
accompany him further in this adventure, and even advised him to remain
in the hall till he received his summons to enter.

But George had not come as far as this to back out now, and as soon
as he saw Sweetwater advance into the now well-lighted interior, he
advanced too and began to look around him.

The room, like many others in these old-fashioned tenements, had a jog
just where the door was, so that on entering they had to take several
steps before they could get a full glimpse of its four walls. When they
did, both showed surprise. Comfort, if not elegance, confronted them,
which impression, however, was immediately lost in the evidences of
work, manual, as well as intellectual, which were everywhere scattered
about.

The man who lived here was not only a student, as was evinced by a long
wall full of books, but he was an art-lover, a musician, an inventor and
an athlete.

So much could be learned from the most cursory glance. A more careful
one picked up other facts fully as startling and impressive. The books
were choice; the invention to all appearance a practical one; the art of
a high order and the music, such as was in view, of a character of
which the nicest taste need not be ashamed. George began to feel quite
conscious of the intrusion of which they had been guilty, and was amazed
at the ease with which the detective carried himself in the presence
of such manifestations of culture and good, hard work. He was trying to
recall the exact appearance of the figure he had seen stooping in the
snowy street two nights before, when he found himself staring at the
occupant of the room, who had taken up his stand before them and was
regarding them while they were regarding the room.

He had thrown aside his hat and rid himself of his overcoat, and the
fearlessness of his aspect seemed to daunt the hitherto dauntless
Sweetwater, who, for the first time in his life, perhaps, hunted in vain
for words with which to start conversation.

Had he made an awful mistake? Was this Mr. Dunn what he seemed an
unknown and care