boots, and a silk hat which he had carefully deposited upon the
floor, was sitting closeted with Miss Penelope Morse. It was
obvious that that young lady did not altogether appreciate the
honor done to her by a visit from so distinguished a person as
Inspector Jacks!

"I am sorry," he said, "that you should find my visit in the
least offensive, Miss Morse. I have approached you, so far as
possible, as an ordinary visitor, and no one connected with your
household can have any idea as to my identity or the nature of my
business. I have done this out of consideration to your feelings.
At the same time I have my duty to perform and it must be done."

"What I cannot understand," Penelope said coldly, "is why you
should bother me about your duty. When I saw you at the Carlton
Hotel, I told you exactly how much I knew of Mr. Hamilton Fynes."

"My dear young lady," Inspector Jacks said, "I will not ask for
your sympathy, for I am afraid I should ask in vain; but we are
just now, we people at Scotland Yard, up against one of the most
extraordinary problems which have ever been put before us. We
have had two murders occurring in two days, which have this much,
at least, in common--that they have been the work of so
accomplished a criminal that at the present moment, although I
should not like to tell every one as much, we have not in either
case the ghost of a clue."

"That sounds very stupid of you," Penelope remarked, "but I still
ask--"