"Outside the court-house our reporter found Mrs. Middlemore still waiting. He took her by the arm, and led her unceremoniously away. Stopping on the opposite side of the road, he said to her:

"'Now, Mrs. Middlemore, what brought you here?'

"'I was sent for, sir,' she answered.

"'By whom?'

"'By the magerstate.'

"'Where is the paper?'

"'What paper, sir?'

"'The summons.'

"'I ain't got none. The perlice orficer comes to me and ses, "Mrs. Middlemore," he ses, "you must go immediate to the Bow Street Perlice Station, and wait outside till yer called." "But what about?" I arks. "About Mr. Felix," he answers; "somethink's been found out, and they can't git on without yer. Yer'll have to wait a longish time per'aps, but if yer move away till yer called it'll be worse for yer." "But what am I to do about the 'ouse?" I arks. "Sophy's out, and there's no one to mind it." "I'll mind it," ses the perlice orficer, "and when Sophy comes back I'll let her in. Off yer go, and don't tell nobody at Bow Street what yer've come about. It's a secret, and the Government won't stand it being talked of. Yer'll be paid for yer trouble." So off I starts, and 'ere 'ave I been waiting for nigh upon two hours, and nobody's made a move toward me.'

"'I've heard something of this,' said our reporter, pushing Mrs. Middle more into a cab, and giving the driver instructions to drive quickly to Gerard Street. It was not without difficulty he succeeded in this, for Mrs. Middlemore, with the fear of the 'Government' upon her, wanted to remain in Bow Street. 'I met Sophy before I came here, and she told me you had been sent for to the police Station. Now be quiet, will you? Have you not promised to be guided by me?'

"'But the Government, sir, the Government! I shall be clapped in prison!'

"'You'll be nothing of the sort. The Government and I are friends, and you are perfectly safe if you do as I tell you.'

"'I must, I serpose, sir. There's nothink else for it, but I'm being wore to a shadder. If this goes on much longer I sha'n't 'ave a ounce of flesh on my bones. Yer sor Sophy, sir, did yer? Yer've been at the 'ouse, then?'

"'Yes, I have been at your house, but it was not there that I saw your niece. I met her in the street, and she informed me that you were at Bow Street Police Station.'

"'What was the 'uzzy doing in the streets?'

"'I can't say, but in the streets she was forced to remain.'

"'Why, sir, the 'ouse was open to 'er. I met 'er and told 'er to go 'ome and wait till I come back.'

"'Exactly. And she did go, and knocked at the door, as I did, but she was as unsuccessful as I was. She did not get in.'

"''Ow can that be, sir? The perlice officer was there, waiting to open the door for 'er. The lazy slut! She's been telling yer a parcel of lies.'

"'How about myself, Mrs. Middlemore? Am I telling you a parcel of lies when I say that I knocked pretty loudly at your door, and that no one came to open it.'

"'I wouldn't dispute your word, sir, but I can't make it out.'

"'I can, and I will explain it to you presently, inside your house, if we can manage to get in. Here we are. Jump out.'

"The cab being discharged, Mrs. Middlemore knocked and rang, but knocked and rang in vain.

"'Allo, anty!' said Sophy, coming up. ''Ave they found Mr. Felix's body?'

"''Ush, you 'uzzy,' said Mrs. Middlemore, clapping her hand on the girl's mouth. 'What do yer mean by being outside instead of in?'

"'What do I mean?' retorted Sophy, with an air of great enjoyment. 'Why, 'cause I couldn't git in. I knocked and knocked, jest as you're doing of now, but nobody answered.'

"'I understood,' said our reporter to Mrs. Middlemore, 'that you generally carry your latchkey with you.'

"'So I do sir, but I didn't 'ave it in my pocket when the perlice officer come; it was downstairs on the kitchen table. I wanted to go down and fetch it, but he wouldn't let me wait a minute. "If yer ain't quick," he said, "yer'll git yerself in trouble;" and he bundled me out of the 'ouse. That's 'ow it was, sir.'

"'The question is,' said our reporter, 'how we are to get in. Is there a back way?'

"'No, sir.'

"'Then we must get in by the front door or window. The window will be the easiest. It is fastened inside in the usual way, I suppose?'

"'Yes, sir.'

"'The easiest plan will be for me to break one of the panes in such a manner as to attract as little notice as possible, and then put my hand through and undo the fastening. Then we can lift the sash, and Sophy can get in and unlock the street door for us.'

"I'm game,' said Sophy, to whom any task of this kind was especially inviting.

"Our reporter was about to put his plan into execution when Mrs. Middlemore clutched his arm. He instantly withdrew it.

"'Of course, Mrs. Middlemore,' he said, coldly, 'it is your house, and I can't commit a trespass without your permission.'

"'It ain't that, sir,' said Mrs. Middlemore, piteously. 'Sophy's a plucky little thing, and though I do give 'er a 'ard word now and then, I mean well by 'er, I do indeed, sir.'

"'Yer a good sort, aunty,' said Sophy. 'I don't mind yer 'ard words, not a bit.'

"''Old yer saucy tongue, and let me speak to the gentleman. Yes, sir, I mean well by Sophy, and I should never 'ave another minute's peace if anythink was to appen to 'er.'

"'What do you think will happen to her if I do what I propose?'

"'There's been one sudding death in the 'ouse, sir----.'

"'Go on, Mrs. Middlemore. Don't stop in the middle of a sentence; finish what you have to say. Time is very precious just now.'

"There's been one sudding death in the 'ouse, and now there's a man in there as won't or can't answer.'

"'You fear he might be dead. If so, he cannot do Sophy any harm. Eh, Sophy?'

"'Not 'im. It'd take more nor one dead man to scare Sophy. Jest you open the winder, and I'll be in like a shot.'

"'Have I your permission now, Mrs. Middlemore?'

"'But if he shouldn't be dead, sor. If he was laying in wait with a crowbar to knock Sophy on the 'ead----'

"'Oh, you are beginning to think the man who called upon you was not a police officer, after all?'

"'I'm beginning to have my doubts, sir.'

"'I never had any. He is as much a police officer as you are. He told you a cock and bull story, and got rid of you. He was left in the house alone, and, more for your sake than my own, I want to find out what he has been up to. Decide quickly, please.'

"'Do what you like, sir. You've been right in everything; but things are getting more and more mysterious.'

"Without wasting more words our reporter pushed his elbow into a pane, and putting his hand through, undid the fastening and raised the sash. Sophy climbed in like a cat, and the next minute the street door was open. They entered and closed the door behind them.

"'We will proceed systematically,' said our reporter. 'The man spoke to you in the passage here.'

"'Yes, sir; and sed he'd wait.'

"'Did you tell him to wait in the kitchen, or the parlor, or in any particular room?'

"'No, sir; I left it to 'im.'

"'Doubtless he has been into every room in the house. We will go into the kitchen first.'

"Nothing had been disturbed there; the key of the street-door was on the kitchen table. Our reporter took it up and examined it closely.

"'As I imagined,' he said. 'He has taken an impression of the key in wax.'

"'What for, sir?' asked Mrs. Middlemore, in great trepidation.

"'To enable him to enter the house again secretly, if he wished. When I am gone send for a plumber and a locksmith. Let the plumber put in the pane of glass, and have another lock put on the street do............