gentlemen remained in the dining-room until 9.17 (I have the time noted
here in my pocket-book). They then came out and went upstairs in a body
to the ante-room, where they all sat down, as I could tell by the
movement of chairs overhead, and in a few minutes Hussein was rung for
to bring cigarettes and coffee. This was at 9.21. Hussein was searched
as he came downstairs after receiving the order, and again at 9.30 when
he returned after executing it. I was relieved at ten o'clock, and
beyond describing the three gentlemen, I know nothing more about the
business."

"They were well dressed?" inquired Brett; "they impressed you as Turkish
gentlemen by their features, and they wore fezzes?"

"Yes," said the policeman, with a smile; "but there was a little more
than that."

"It is of no importance," said Brett.

"But really it must be," urged the inspector. "One of them, the man who
spoke to me, had a bad sword-cut across his right cheek, whilst another
squinted horribly; besides, they were all elderly men."

"Pardon me, inspector," said Brett, "but you admit, no doubt, that this
is a very remarkable crime I am investigating."

"I should just think it is, sir," was the answer.

"Well, now, does it not strike you that the perpetrators thereof, who
were not afraid to be scrutinized by yourself and by several other
policemen, and to be searched and further scrutinized by a different set
of officers when they came out again, would be very unlikely persons to
bear about them such distinguishing characteristics as would lead to
their arrest by the first youthful police-constable who encountered
them? I do not want to be rude, or to indicate any lack of discretion on
your part, but, from my point of view, I would vastly prefer not to be
furnished with any description of these three persons, nor would I care
to have seen them as they entered or left the house."

"Well, that is very curious," said Inspector Walters, dropping his hands
on his knees in sheer amazement at such an extraordinary statement from
a man whose clearness and accuracy of perception had been so fully
justified by the incident of the window-blind.

"And now, Mr. Sharpe," said Brett, turning to the other officer, "what
did you observe?"

"I came on duty at ten o'clock, sir; posted my guards, and received from
Inspector Walters an exact account of what had taken place before my
arrival. Inspector Walters had hardly quitted the house, when one of the
jun