“Well, as I was saying, as soon as I thought of Burwell I made up my mind at once to borrow one of his hounds.  It was late when I got to his house.  When I knocked at the door both Pompey and Caesar began sub-bass solos of growls, and Burwell was awake in a minute.  I told him I wanted a dog for private business and took Caesar off with me.  He found the trail with no difficulty, and followed it in a bee-line down to the water, where he raised his big muzzle and howled in dismal impotency.  The assassin had taken to the water.  I took the dog up and down the shore to see if he had returned to land, but all I found of interest was a clump of alders from which a pole had been cut.  I knew by the dog’s actions that the assassin had been there, for Caesar immediately took a new trail back to the house.  Try as I might I could learn nothing further, and I at once returned the dog.  There is no doubt that the murderer made his escape in a boat and took with him the pole he had cut, the boards he had worn, and everything else, I dare say, connected with his crime.  One thing seems clear, and that is that we are dealing with no ordinary criminal.  I would wager a good deal that this fellow, if ever he is caught, will be found to be a man of brains.  I don’t place much confidence in the Chinese theory, Doc, but as I have nothing better to offer, let us go see Miss Darrow.  If her father has ever had any dealings with Chinamen, we shall probably deem it wise to look the Orientals up a bit.”

We immediately acted upon this suggestion, waiting upon Gwen at my house.  She said she and her father had spent a year in San Francisco when she was about seven years of age.  While there their household was looked after by two Chinese servants, named Wah Sing and Sam Lee.  The latter had been discharged by her father because of his refusal to perform certain minor duties which, through oversight, had not been set down as part of his work when he was engaged.  So far as she knew no altercation had taken place and there were no hard feelings on either side.  Sam Lee had bade her good-bye and had seemed sorry to leave, notwithstanding which, however, he refused, with true Chinese pertinacity, to assume the new duties.  She did not think it likely that either of these Chinamen had been instrumental in her father’s death, yet she agreed with Maitland that it would be a point gained to be assured of this fact.  Maitland accordingly determined to depart at once for San Francisco, and the next day he was off.

We received no letters from him during his absence and were, accordingly, unable to tell when he expected to get back.  Since his return from India Gwen had given evidence of a reviving interest in life, but now that he was again away, she relapsed into her old listless condition, from which we found it impossible to arouse her.  Alice, who did her utmost to please her, was at her wit’s end.  She could never tell which of two alternatives Gwen preferred, since