somewhat peculiar detonation of a pistol-shot.

He thought it came from above; she, from the rear, and they were
staring at each other in the helpless wonder of the moment, when
they were struck by the silence. The baby had ceased to cry. All
was as still in the adjoining apartment as in their own--too
still--much too still. Their mutual stare turned to one of
horror. "It came from there!" whispered the wife. "Some accident
has occurred to Mr. or Mrs. Hammond--we ought to go--"

Her words--very tremulous ones--were broken by a shout from
below. They were standing in their window and had evidently been
seen by a passing policeman. "Anything wrong up there?" they
heard him cry. Mr. Saunders immediately looked out. "Nothing
wrong here," he called down. (They were but two stories from the
pavement.) "But I'm not so sure about the rear apartment. We
thought we heard a shot. Hadn't you better come up, officer? My
wife is nervous about it. I'll meet you at the stair-head and
show you the way."

The officer nodded and stepped in. The young couple hastily
donned some wraps, and, by the time he appeared on their floor,
they were ready to accompany him.

Meanwhile, no disturbance was apparent anywhere else in the
house, until the policeman rang the bell of the Hammond
apartment. Then, voices began to be heard, and doors to open
above and below, but not the one before which the policeman
stood.