as did those of all the single men on board.  Wyatt’s three rooms were in the after-cabin, which was separated from the main one by a slight sliding door, never locked even at night.  As we were almost constantly on a wind, and the breeze was not a little stiff, the ship heeled to leeward very considerably; and whenever her starboard side was to leeward, the sliding door between the cabins slid open, and so remained, nobody taking the trouble to get up and shut it.  But my berth was in such a position, that when my own state-room door was open, as well as the sliding door in question (and my own door was always open on account of the heat,) I could see into the after-cabin quite distinctly, and just at that portion of it, too, where were situated the state-rooms of Mr. Wyatt.  Well, during two nights (not consecutive) while I lay awake, I clearly saw Mrs. W., about eleven o’clock upon each night, steal cautiously from the state-room of Mr. W., and enter the extra room, where she remained until daybreak, when she was called by her husband and went back.  That they were virtually separated was clear.  They had separate apartments —­ no doubt in contemplation of a more permanent divorce; and here, after all I thought was the mystery of the extra state-room.

There was another circumstance, too, which interested me much.  During the two wakeful nights in question, and immediately after the disappearance of Mrs. Wyatt into the extra state-room, I was attracted by certain singular cautious, subdued noises in that of her husband.  After listening to them for some time, with thoughtful attention, I at length succeeded perfectly in translating their import.  They were sounds occasioned by the artist in prying open the oblong box, by means of a chisel and mallet —­ the latter being apparently muffled, or deadened, by some soft woollen or cotton substance in which its head was enveloped.

In this manner I fancied I could distinguish the precise moment when he fairly disengaged the lid —­ also, that I could determine when he removed it altogether, and when he deposited it upon the lower berth in his room; this latter point I knew, for example, by certain slight taps which the lid made in striking against the wooden edges of the berth, as he endeavored to lay it down very gently —­ there being no room for it on the floor.  After this there was a dead stillness, and I heard nothing more, upon either occasion, until nearly daybreak; unless, perhaps, I may mention a low sobbing, or murmuring sound, so very much suppressed as to be nearly inaudible —­ if, indeed, the whole of this latter noise were not rather produced by my own imagination.  I say it seemed to resemble sobbing or sighing- but, of course, it could not have been either.  I rather think it was a ringing in my own ears.  Mr. Wyatt, no doubt, according to custom, was merely giving the rein to one of his hobbies —­ indulging in one of his fits of artistic enthusiasm.  He had opened his oblong box, in order to feast his eyes