n he had taken up that
branch of medical science he might lose his reputation as a lady's
doctor.

Then, just as the meeting was being brought to a conclusion, Jevons
touched me on the shoulder, and we both slipped out.

"Well," he asked. "What do you think of it all?"

"I've been highly interested," I replied. "But how does this further
our inquiries, or throw any light on the tragedy?"

"Be patient," was his response, as we walked together in the direction
of the Angel. "Be patient, and I will show you."

CHAPTER XXVII.

MR. LANE'S ROMANCE.

The Seven Secrets, each distinct from each other and yet connected;
each one in itself a complete enigma, formed a problem of which even
Ambler Jevons himself could not discover the solution.

Contrary to his usual methods, he allowed me to accompany him in
various directions, making curious inquiries that had apparently
nothing to connect them with the mystery of the death of Mr. and Mrs.
Courtenay.

In reply to a wire I had sent to Ethelwynn came a message saying that
her mother was entirely prostrated, therefore she could not at present
leave her. This, when shown to Ambler, caused him to purse his lips
and raise his shoulders with that gesture of suspicion which was a
peculiarity of his. Was it possible that he actually suspected her?

The name of Slade seemed ever in Jevons' mind. Indeed, most of his
inquiries were regarding some person of that name.

One evening, after dining together, he took me in a cab across the
City to the Three Nuns Hotel, at Aldgate--where, in the saloon bar, we
sat drinking. Before setting out he had urged me to put on a shabby
suit of clothes and a soft hat, so that in the East End we should not
attract attention as "swells." As for his own personal appearance, it
was certainly not that of the spruce city man. He was an adept at
disguises, and on this occasion wore a reefer jacket, a peaked cap,
and a dark violet scarf in lieu of collar, thus presenting the aspect
of a seafarer ashore. He smoked a pipe of the most approved nautical
type, and as we sat together in the saloon he told me sea stories, in
order that a group of men sitting near might overhear.

That he had some object in all this was quite certain, but what it was
I could not gather.

Suddenly, after an hour, a little under-sized old man of dirty and
neglected appearance, who had been drinking at the bar, shuffled up to
us, and whispered something to Ambler that I