happened to be looking out, when after a longer stroll than usual the
master of the house returned. As he made his appearance at the corner,
I saw her hurriedly withdraw her head and hide herself behind the
curtain, from which position she watched him as with tired steps and
somewhat dejected mien, he passed up the steps and entered the house.
Not till the door closed upon him, did she venture to issue forth and
with a hurried movement shut the blinds and disappear. This anxiety
on her part redoubled mine, and thankful enough was I when on the next
day I found myself well enough to renew my operations. To ferret out
this mystery, if mystery it was,--I still found myself forced to
admit the possibility of there being none--had now become the one
ambition of my life; and all because it was not only an unusually
blind one, but of a nature that involved danger to my position as
detective, I entered upon it with a zest rare even to me who love my
work and all it involves with an undivided passion.

To equip myself, then, in a fresh disguise and to join Mr. Blake
shortly after he had left his own corner, was anything but a hardship
to me that bright winter morning, though I knew from past experience,
a long and wearisome walk was before me with nothing in all
probability at the end but reiterated disappointment. But for once
the fates had willed it otherwise. Whether Mr. Blake, discouraged at
the failure of his own attempts, whatever they were, felt less heart
to prosecute them than usual I cannot say, but we had scarcely
entered upon the lower end of the Bowery, before he suddenly turned
with a look of disgust, and gazing hurriedly about him, hailed a
Madison Avenue car that was rapidly approaching. I was at that moment
on the other side of the way, but I hurried forward too, and signaled
the same car. But just as I was on the point of entering it I
perceived Mr. Blake step hastily back and with his eyes upon a girl