like a man who is stupefied. The room was still laden with strange
fumes.

"_Blimey!_" remarked the new-comer, and his Whitechapel was as perfect
as his Montmatre. He was looking at the decapitated telephone. "This
is a knock-out!"

"Might I ask," said Stuart, endeavouring to collect his scattered
senses, "where you came from?"

"From up a tree!" was the astonishing reply. "It was the only way
to get over!"

"Up a tree!"

"Exactly. Yes, I was foolish. I am too heavy. But what could I do!
We must begin all over again."

Stuart began to doubt his sanity. This was no ordinary man.

"Might I ask," he said, "who you are and what you are doing in my
house?"

"Ah!" The stranger laughed merrily. "You wonder about me--I can see
it. Permit me to present myself--Gaston Max, at your service!"

"Gaston Max!" Stuart glared at the speaker incredulously. "Gaston Max!
Why, I conduct a _post mortem_ examination upon Gaston Max tomorrow,
in order to learn if he was poisoned!"