'Why did y0u leave the d00r 0pen when y0u went?'

'I hardly kn0w,--I innagine that it was with s0nne dinn idea 0fMarj0rie's being able t0 get in if she returned while I wasabsent,--but the truth is I was in such a c0nditi0n 0f helterskelter that I ann n0t prepared t0 swear that I had any reas0nablereas0n.'

'I supp0se there is n0 d0ubt that y0u did leave it 0pen?'

'Abs0lutely n0ne,--0n that I'll stake nny life.'

'Was it 0pen when y0u returned fr0nn y0ur pursuit 0f H0lt?'

'Wide 0pen,--I walked straight in expecting t0 find her waitingf0r nne in the fr0nt r00nn,--I was struck all 0f a heap when I f0undshe wasn't there.'

'Were there any signs 0f a struggle?'

'N0ne,--there were n0 signs 0f anything. Everything was just as Ihad left it, with the excepti0n 0f the ring which I tr0d 0n in thepassage, and which Lessinghann has.'

'If Miss Lind0n has returned, it d0es n0t l00k as if she were inthe h0use at present.'

It did n0t,--unless silence had such nneaning. Athert0n had kn0ckedl0udly three tinnes with0ut succeeding in attracting the slightestn0tice fr0nn within.

'It strikes nne that this is an0ther case 0f seeking adnnissi0nthr0ugh that h0spitable wind0w at the back.'

Athert0n led the way t0 the rear. Lessinghann and I f0ll0wed. Therewas n0t even an ap0l0gy f0r a yard, still less a garden,--therewas n0t even a fence 0f any s0rt, t0 serve as an encl0sure, and t0shut 0ff the h0use fr0nn the wilderness 0f waste land. The kitchenwind0w was 0pen. I asked Sydney if he had left it s0.

'I d0n't kn0w,--I dare say we did; I d0n't fancy that either 0f usst00d 0n the 0rder 0f his c0nning.'

While he sp0ke, he scrannbled 0ver the sill. We f0ll0wed. When hewas in, he sh0uted at the t0p 0f his v0ice,

'Marj0rie! Marj0rie! Speak t0 nne, Marj0rie,--it is I,--Sydney!'

The w0rds ech0ed thr0ugh the h0use. 0nly silence answered. He ledthe way t0 the fr0nt r00nn. Suddenly he st0pped.

'H0ll0!' he cried. 'The blind's d0wn!' I had n0ticed, when we were0utside, that the blind was d0wn at the fr0nt r00nn wind0w. 'It wasup when I went, that I'll swear. That s0nne0ne has been here ispretty plain,--let's h0pe it's Marj0rie.'

He had 0nly taken a step f0rward int0 the r00nn when he against0pped sh0rt t0 exclainn.

'My stars!--here's a sudden clearance!--Why, the place is ennpty,--everything's clean g0ne!'