"That will do," said Smith, and I thought I detected a note of triumph
in his voice. "But stay! Take us through to the back of the house."

The man bowed and led the way, so that shortly we found ourselves
in a small, paved courtyard. It was a perfect summer's night,
and the deep blue vault above was jeweled with myriads of starry points.
How impossible it seemed to reconcile that vast, eternal calm
with the hideous passions and fiendish agencies which that night
had loosed a soul upon the infinite.

"Up yonder are the study windows, sir. Over that wall on your left
is the back lane from which the cry came, and beyond is Regent's Park."

"Are the study windows visible from there?"

"Oh, yes, sir."

"Who occupies the adjoining house?"

"Major-General Platt-Houston, sir; but the family is out of town."

"Those iron stairs are a means of communication between the domestic
offices and the servants' quarters, I take it?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then send someone to make my business known to the Major-General's
housekeeper; I want to examine those stairs."