ones to follow."

Villiers could not take his mind away from Herbert and
his story, which seemed to grow wilder as the night wore on.
The fire seemed to burn low, and the chilly air of the morning
crept into the room; Villiers got up with a glance over his
shoulder, and, shivering slightly, went to bed.

A few days later he saw at his club a gentleman of his
acquaintance, named Austin, who was famous for his intimate
knowledge of London life, both in its tenebrous and luminous
phases. Villiers, still full of his encounter in Soho and its
consequences, thought Austin might possibly be able to shed some
light on Herbert's history, and so after some casual talk he
suddenly put the question:

"Do you happen to know anything of a man named Herbert
--Charles Herbert?"

Austin turned round sharply and stared at Villiers with
some astonishment.

"Charles Herbert? Weren't you in town three years ago?
No; then you have not heard of the Paul Street case? It caused
a good deal of sensation at the time."

"What was the case?"

"Well, a gentleman, a man of very good position, was
found dead, stark dead, in the area of a certain house in Paul