y and the Detective were fixed on me.

"MY DEAR DAUGHTER, I want you to take this letter as an
instruction--absolute and imperative, and admitting of no deviation
whatever--in case anything untoward or unexpected by you or by others
should happen to me. If I should be suddenly and mysteriously stricken
down--either by sickness, accident or attack--you must follow these
directions implicitly. If I am not already in my bedroom when you are
made cognisant of my state, I am to be brought there as quickly as
possible. Even should I be dead, my body is to be brought there.
Thenceforth, until I am either conscious and able to give instructions
on my own account, or buried, I am never to be left alone--not for a
single instant. From nightfall to sunrise at least two persons must
remain in the room. It will be well that a trained nurse be in the
room from time to time, and will note any symptoms, either permanent or
changing, which may strike her. My solicitors, Marvin & Jewkes, of 27B
Lincoln's Inn, have full instructions in case of my death; and Mr.
Marvin has himself undertaken to see personally my wishes carried out.
I should advise you, my dear Daughter, seeing that you have no relative
to apply to, to get some friend whom you can trust to either remain
within the house where instant communication can be made, or to come
nightly to aid in the watching, or to be within call. Such friend may
be either male or female; but, whichever it may be, there should be
added one other watcher or attendant at hand of the opposite sex.
Understand, that it is of the very essence of my wish that there should
be, awake and exercising themselves to my purposes, both masculine and
feminine intelligences. Once more, my dear Margaret, let me impress on
you the need for observation and just reasoning to conclusions,
howsoever strange. If I am taken ill or injured, this will be no
ordinary occasion; and I wish to warn you, so that your guarding may be
complete.

"Nothing in my room--I speak of the curios--must be removed or
displaced in any way, or for any cause whatever. I have a special
reason and a special purpose in the placing of each; so that any moving
of them would thwart my plans.

"Should you want money or counsel in anything, Mr. Marvin will carry
out your wishes; to the which he has my full instructions."

"ABEL TRELAWNY."

I read the letter a second time before speaking, for I feared to betray
myself. The