s to claim and recover his property. He may have
substantial reasons for wanting to get rid of it. Remember that the
baggage-check was handed in at my door with the express direction that
it was to be given to the gentleman of the house. We'll have to see it
through, I think."

I had nothing more to say, and shortly afterwards we pulled up at No.
4020 Madison Avenue. Bolder and the hackman carried the trunk in, and
Indiman directed that it should be placed in the library, the front
room on the first landing. The cabman was paid and dismissed, and we
were left alone.

"Now for it," said Indiman, gayly. "I have always preferred mutton to
lamb."

The trunk was of the cheap variety, covered with brown paper that
vaguely simulated leather. It was perfectly new, and this was probably
its first trip on the road. The lock was of simple construction. It
should be easy to find a key to fit it, and one of mine, with a little
filing, did the trick. The bolt shot back, and Indiman unhesitatingly
threw up the lid.

There was no tray in the trunk, and the interior space was filled with
some bulky article that had been carefully shrouded by manifold layers
of cloth wrappings. I know that the same thought was in both our minds,
but neither of us spoke. A keen-bladed ink-eraser lay on the desk
before me, and I handed it to Indiman. He made a swift cut in the
wrappings and drew the severed edges apart--a naked human foot
protruded. To this hour I have only to shut my eyes to immediately
recall that horrid vision. I remember particularly the purplish hue of
the swollen veins, the unmistakable rigidity of the joints and muscles.

Indiman shut down the lid and turned the key in the lock. We looked,
white-faced, one at the other, then at the maid-servant who stood not
ten feet away. Had she been any nearer?

"What is it, Mary?" said Indiman, sharply.

The girl, confused and stammering, explained that she had come in to
sweep; she had no idea that Mr. Indiman was in the library. No, the
door was not locked, and she had just that moment walked in. Indiman
cut short her apologies, and, with a tolerable assumption of
indifference, dismissed her to her duties elsewhere.

"Unfortunate," he remarked, with a frown.

"I doubt if she could have seen anything," I answered, reassuringly. "I
should have heard her if she had come any nearer, and the trunk was
only open for a second or two."

"Quite long enough for anything to happen," said Ind