ticles hidden on your body. This
confirmed me in the belief that you had already disposed of it in the
manner and for the purpose I have shown you. As I still believed you
capable of remorse and confession, I twice allowed you to see I was on
your track: once in the garb of an itinerant negro minstrel, and the
second time as a workman looking in the window of the pawnshop where
you pledged your booty."

"But," I burst out, "if you had asked the pawnbroker, you would have
seen how unjust"--

"Fool!" he hissed, "that was one of YOUR suggestions--to search the
pawnshops! Do you suppose I followed any of your suggestions, the
suggestions of the thief? On the contrary, they told me what to avoid."

"And I suppose," I said bitterly, "you have not even searched your
drawer?"

"No," he said calmly.

I was for the first time really vexed. I went to the nearest drawer
and pulled it out sharply. It stuck as it had before, leaving a part
of the drawer unopened. By working it, however, I discovered that it
was impeded by some obstacle that had slipped to the upper part of the
drawer, and held it firmly fast. Inserting my hand, I pulled out the
impeding object. It was the missing cigar case! I turned to him with
a cry of joy.

But I was appalled at his expression. A look of contempt was now added
to his acute, penetrating gaze. "I have been mistaken," he said
slowly; "I had not allowed for your weakness and cowardice! I thought
too highly of you even in your guilt! But I see now why you tampered
with that drawer the other night. By some inexplicable means--possibly
another theft--you took the cigar case out of pawn and, like a whipped
hound, restored it to me in this feeble, clumsy fashion. You thought
to deceive me, Hemlock Jones! More, you thought to destroy my
infallibility. Go! I give you your liberty. I shall not summon the
three policemen who wait in the adjoining room--but out of my sight
forever!"

As I stood once more dazed and petrified, he took me firmly by the ear
and led me into the hall, closing the door behind him. This reopened
presently, wide enough to permit him to thrust out my hat, overcoat,
umbrella, and overshoes, and then closed against me forever!

I never saw him again. I am bound to say, however, that thereafter my
business increased, I recovered much of my old practice, and a few of
my patients recovered also. I became rich. I had a brougham and a
house in the West End. Bu