rner. I was perfectly certain that I had seen it since my return
from Paris, and I proceeded to make a thoroughly methodical search. I
left scarcely an inch of space in my rooms undisturbed. At last I was
forced to come to the conclusion that the stick had gone. Either the
valet or some one else must have borrowed it.

It was eleven o'clock by the time I had concluded my search, and there
was no time for me to make any further inquiries. I locked up my rooms
and descended to the fifth floor. The corridor was empty, and with the
key which Louis had given me I opened the door of Mr. Delora's bedroom
without difficulty. The room was in darkness, but the electric-light
knob was against the wall. I turned it on quickly. There was neither
any one in the room, nor any evidence of it having been recently
occupied t satisfied with my first inspection, I looked into the
wardrobe and lifted the curtains of the bed. Very soon I was assured
that there was no one in hiding. I sat down on the edge of the bed and
began to consider how to pass the time for the next hour or so. The
whiskey and soda set out upon the table attracted my attention. I went
over to it, struck by a sudden thought! First I poured out a little
of the whiskey. It smelt harmless enough. I tried it upon my tongue.
There was no distinctive flavor. Then I looked at the soda-water
syphon. The top was screwed up tightly enough, and it easily came
undone with the application of a little force. I examined the screw. I
felt certain at once, for some reason or other, that it had been
tampered with recently. I poured a little of the soda-water into a
glass. It was quite flat, and when I tasted it it had a peculiar
flavor. Something seemed to have been added to it which destroyed
altogether its buoyancy. I screwed on the top again and whistled
softly to myself. The whiskey and soda had been placed there by
Louis. He had even gone so far as to call my particular attention to
it. The coffee which I had drunk a little before had also been
prepared by Louis. He was evidently taking no chances! It was his
intention that I should be asleep when the intruder, whoever he might
be, should enter the room. After all, it seemed that I was in for
something a little more complicated in the way of adventures than I
had imagined. I examined the lock of the door by which I had
entered. It worked easily, and there was also a bolt on the inside.
The door was by its side which led into the sitti