niece to the utter exclusion of the other;
but of his habits of life and connection with the world at large, I knew
little or nothing.

There was a great crowd in front of the house when we arrived there, and
I had barely time to observe that it was a corner dwelling of unusual
depth when I was seized by the throng and carried quite to the foot of
the broad stone steps. Extricating myself, though with some difficulty,
owing to the importunities of a bootblack and butcher-boy, who seemed
to think that by clinging to my arms they might succeed in smuggling
themselves into the house, I mounted the steps and, finding the
secretary, by some unaccountable good fortune, close to my side,
hurriedly rang the bell. Immediately the door opened, and a face I
recognized as that of one of our city detectives appeared in the gap.

"Mr. Gryce!" I exclaimed.

"The same," he replied. "Come in, Mr. Raymond." And drawing us quietly
into the house, he shut the door with a grim smile on the disappointed
crowd without. "I trust you are not surprised to see me here," said he,
holding out his hand, with a side glance at my companion.

"No," I returned. Then, with a vague idea that I ought to introduce the
young man at my side, continued: "This is Mr. ----, Mr. ----, --excuse
me, but I do not know your name," I said inquiringly to my companion.
"The private secretary of the late Mr. Leavenworth," I hastened to add.

"Oh," he returned, "the secretary! The coroner has been asking for you,
sir."

"The coroner is here, then?"

"Yes; the jury have just gone up-stairs to view the body; would you like
to follow them?"

"No, it is not necessary. I have merely come in the hope of being of
some assistance to the young ladies. Mr. Veeley is away."

"And you thought the opportunity too good to be lost," he went on;
"just so. Still, now that you are here, and as the case promises to be
a marked one, I should think that, as a rising young lawyer, you would
wish to make yourself acquainted with it in all its details. But follow
your own judgment."

I made an effort and overcame my repugnance. "I will go," said I.

"Very well, then, follow me."

But just as I set foot on the stairs I heard the jury descending, so,
drawing back with Mr. Gryce into a recess between the reception room and
the parlor, I had time to remark:

"The young man says it could not have been the work of a burglar."

"Indeed!" fixing his eye on a door-knob near by.

"That