wanted, he first looked for it here. The light probably being bad he
tore down every picture he could reach in order to get a better view
of it. When, at last, he had found the desired work, he set about
cutting it from its frame. But, before he had finished, something
alarmed him, and he fled without the prize."

The stolid man listened to this with marked approval. Even Osborne
reluctantly whispered to Pendleton:

"He's doped it out. I didn't think it was in him."

After a little more, the coroner said to his clerk:

"I think that is about all. Curran, see to it that the post-mortem is
not delayed. Put a couple of our men on the case, have them make
extensive inquiries in the neighborhood. Any persons who appear to
possess information may be brought to my office at three o'clock.
Especially I desire to see this Mrs. Dwyer, Berg, who keeps the store
on the ground floor and the young man who was employed by Hume. I'll
empanel a jury later." He took off his eye-glasses, placed them in a
case and, in turn, carefully slipped this into his pocket. "At three
o'clock," he repeated.

"If I should not be intruding," said Ashton-Kirk, "I should like to
be present."

Stillman smiled with the air of a man triumphant, but who still
desired to show charity.

"I shall be pleased to see you, sir," he said, "then or at any other