“All right, sir,” said the other, accepting his responsibility with a sort of modified salute; straightway he began his investigation.

First he came over to the Doctor and, having learned his name and address, asked him to write a full report which he could use, and which he could refer to headquarters if necessary.  Doctor Winchester bowed gravely as he promised.  Then the Sergeant approached me and said sotto voce: 

“I like the look of your doctor.  I think we can work together!” Turning to Miss Trelawny he asked: 

“Please let me know what you can of your Father; his ways of life, his history—­in fact of anything of whatsoever kind which interests him, or in which he may be concerned.”  I was about to interrupt to tell him what she had already said of her ignorance in all matters of her father and his ways, but her warning hand was raised to me pointedly and she spoke herself.

“Alas!  I know little or nothing.  Superintendent Dolan and Mr. Ross know already all I can say.”

“Well, ma’am, we must be content to do what we can,” said the officer genially.  “I’ll begin by making a minute examination.  You say that you were outside the door when you heard the noise?”

“I was in my room when I heard the queer sound—­indeed it must have been the early part of whatever it was which woke me.  I came out of my room at once.  Father’s door was shut, and I could see the whole landing and the upper slopes of the staircase.  No one could have left by the door unknown to me, if that is what you mean!”

“That is just what I do mean, miss.  If every one who knows anything will tell me as well as that, we shall soon get to the bottom of this.”

He then went over to the bed, looked at it carefully, and asked: 

“Has the bed been touched?”

“Not to my knowledge,” said Miss Trelawny, “but I shall ask Mrs. Grant—­ the housekeeper,” she added as she rang the bell.  Mrs. Grant answered it in person.  “Come in,” said Miss Trelawny.  “These gentlemen want to know, Mrs. Grant, if the bed has been touched.”

“Not by me, ma’am.”

“Then,” said Miss Trelawny, turning to Sergeant Daw, “it cannot have been touched by any one.  Either Mrs. Grant or I myself was here all the time, and I do not think any of the servants who came when I gave the alarm were near the bed at all.  You see, Father lay here just under the great safe, and every one crowded round him.  We sent them all away in a very short time.”  Daw, with a motion of his hand, asked us all to stay at the other side of the room whilst with a magnifying-glass he examined the bed, taking care as he moved each fold of the bed-clothes to replace it in exact position.  Then he examined with his magnifying-glass the floor beside it, taking especial pains where the blood had trickled over the side of the bed, which was of heavy red wood handsomely carved.  Inch by inch, down