Zeda, Criminal Scientist" by popular clamor, was yet old-fashioned
enough, and sufficient of an enthusiast, to pen his work, while lesser
men dictated.

So, amidst that classic company, smiling or frowning upon him from the
oaken shelves, where Petronius Arbiter, exquisite, rubbed shoulders
with Balzac, plebeian; where Omar Khayyam leaned confidentially toward
Philostratus; where Mark Twain, standing squarely beside Thomas Carlyle,
glared across the room at George Meredith, Henry Leroux pursued the
amazing career of "Martin Zeda."

It wanted but five minutes to the hour of midnight, when again the door
bell clamored in the silence.

Leroux wrote steadily on. The bell continued to ring, and, furthermore,
the ringer could be heard beating upon the outer door.

"Soames!" cried Leroux irritably, "Soames! Why the hell don't you go to
the door!"

Leroux stood up, dashing his pen upon the table.

"I shall have to sack that damned man!" he cried; "he takes too many
liberties--stopping out until this hour of the night!"

He pulled open the study door, crossed the hallway, and opened the door
beyond.

In, out of the darkness--for the stair lights had been
extinguished--staggered a woman; a woman whose pale face exhibited,