the small room at the rear, provided with every facility for seeing what
went on and overhearing and reducing what was said in the
Superintendent's private office.

Promptly at three, Mrs. Winton was announced by appointment, and was
instantly admitted.

She was about thirty years of age, slender, with dark hair and a face
just missing beauty. She was gowned in black, with a bunch of violets at
her waist, and she wore a large mesh veil, through which her
particularly fine dark eyes sparkled discriminatingly.

The Superintendent arose and bowed graciously. Ranleigh was a gentleman
by birth and by breeding.

"What can I do for you, Mrs. Winton?" he asked, placing a chair for
her--where her face would be in full view from the cabinet.

"You can do nothing for me, sir," she replied, with a charming smile. "I
came to you as head of the Police Department for the purpose of
detailing what I saw in connection with the matter I mentioned to you
over the telephone. It may be of no value to you--I even may do wrong in
volunteering my information, but--"

"On the contrary," the Superintendent interjected, "you confer a great
favour on this Department by reporting to it any suspicious
circumstances. It is for it to investigate and determine whether they
call for action. Pray proceed, my dear Mrs. Winton."

She gave him another charming smile and went on.

"I was out last evening, and it was after midnight when I got back to
the Burlingame. My apartment is on the third floor front. Instead of
going to bed at once, I sat down at the open window to enjoy the gentle
breeze. I must have dozed, for I was aroused by a cab coming up
Eighteenth and stopping before the large, grey-stone house opposite--the
rest of the houses are brick--which was unoccupied until two days ago,
when it was rented furnished. I live just across the street and hence I
notice these things--casually of course, as one does. I watched the cab
with languid interest; saw the driver descend from the box, which seemed
a bit peculiar; but when, instead of going to the door of the cab, he
went up the front steps and into the house--the door of which he opened
with a key that he took from his pocket--my curiosity was aroused. A
moment later, a man in evening dress came leisurely out and sauntered to
the carriage. It seemed to me he was interested in looking around him,
and at the houses opposite, rather than at the cab. He remained at the
cab, presumably in talk wit