the voices； but not distinctly。 〃Do you stay here； Doc；〃 whispered
Maitland； 〃while I get into some old clothes and hunt up the
landlord of this place。 I'm going to rent these rooms long enough
to acquaint myself with my neighbours on the other side of the wall。
I'll be back soon。 Don't let any man leave that room without your
knowing where he goes。〃 With this he left me and I soon found a
way to busy myself in his absence。 In the wall above the stove；
where the pipe passed through the partition into our neighbour's
apartment； there was a chink large enough to permit me； when
mounted upon the stove； to overlook the greater part of the adjacent
room。 I availed myself of this privilege； though not without those
same twinges of conscience which I had felt some minutes before
when following the young lady。 The apartment was poorly furnished；
and yet； despite this scantiness of appointment； there was
unmistakable evidence of refinement。 Everything visible in the
room was scrupulously neat and the few pictures that adorned the
walls； while they were inexpensive half…tones； were yet reproductions
of masterpieces。 In the centre of the room stood a small； deal
table； on the opposite side of which sat the man who had answered my
letter。
At one end of the table； poised upon the back of a chair； sat a
small Capucin monkey of the Weeper or Sai species。 He watched the
man with that sober； judicial air which is by no means confined
exclusively to supreme benches。 I； too； observed the man carefully。
He was tall and spare。 He must have measured nearly six feet in
height and could not； I think； have weighed over one hundred and
fifty pounds。 His face was pinched and careworn； but this effect
was more than redeemed by a pair of full； black eyes having a depth
and penetration I have never seen equalled； albeit there was； ever
and anon； a suggestion of wildness which somewhat marred their deep；
contemplative beauty。 The brows and the carriage of the head at
once bespoke the scholar。 While thus I watched him； the young girl
came from a corner of the room I could not overlook and laid my
letter before him。 She stood behind his chair as he opened it；
smoothing his hair caressingly and； every now and then； kissing him
gently。 He paused with the open letter before him； reached up both
arms； drew her down to him； kissed her passionately； sighed； and
picked up the letter again。 I took pains that no act； word； or look
should escape me。 This show of affection surprised me； and I
remember the thought flashed through my mind； 〃What inconsistent
beings we all are！ Here is a man apparently capable of a causeless
and cold…blooded assassination of a harmless old man。 You would
say such a murderer must be hopelessly selfish and brutal； amenable
to none of the better sentiments of mankind； and yet it needs but
a casual glance to see how his whole life is bound up in the young
girl before him。〃
While this was passing through my mind the man had glanced through
my letter and thrown it upon the table with an exclamation of
disgust。 〃Bah！ he has had the effrontery；〃 he said petulantly； 〃to
send me what he calls a new mode of treatment and it is in every
essential that of Broadbent； well known for more than a quarter of
a century。 New indeed！ I shall never find a doctor who has any
scientific acumen。 I may as well abandon the search now。 Mon Dieu！
and they call medicine a science！ Bah！〃 and with a frown he dropped
his head despondently upon his hand。 The young girl passed her hand
gently； soothingly； over his forehead and did not speak for nearly
a minute。
〃You are not feeling well to…night； father；〃 she said at length。
〃M。 Godin has been here during my absence。〃
〃M。 Godin！〃 I exclaimed half aloud； catching at the stovepipe lest
I should fall from the stove。 〃So our rival is hot upon the scent；
… probably even ahead of us。 How on earth … 〃 But I did not finish
the exclamation。 My seizure of the pipe upon my side of the
partition had produced an audible vibration of that portion extending
over the heads of my neighbours。 The young girl's quick ear had
detected the sound and she had ceased speaking and fastened her eyes
suspiciously upon the aperture through which I was gazing。 It seemed
to me as if she must see me； yet I dared not move。 After a little
she seemed reassured and continued： 〃I knew he had been here。 You
are always this way after his visits。 Why； of late； does he always
come when I am away？〃 The question seemed innocent enough； yet the
man to whom it was addressed turned crimson and then as pale as
ashes。 When he spoke the effort his self…control cost him was
terribly apparent。
〃We have private business； dear；〃 he said； 〃private business。〃 He
hesitated a moment and again his eyes wore the wild look I had first
noticed。 〃I am selling him something；〃 he continued； 〃very dear to
me … as dear as my heart's blood； and I expect to get enough for it
to guard you from want。〃
〃And you； father？〃 the young girl questioned fervently。 I thought
I noticed a tremor run through his frame； as drawing her face down
to his； he said； kissing her； 〃Me？ Never mind me； Puss； this cancer
here will take care of me。〃
She made no reply； but turned away to hide the tears that sprang to
her eyes。 As she did so she raised her face toward me。 I have
never been considered particularly sympathetic； … that is； no more
than the average； … but there was something in the expression of her
face that went to my heart like a knife。 I felt as if I were about
to sob with her。 I do not know what it was that so aroused my
sympathies。 We are； I fancy； more apt to feel for those whose beauty
is like to the ideals we have learned to love； than we are to be
moved by the suffering of those whose looks repel us； … and this may
have had something to do with my condition； … for the young girl was
radiantly beautiful； … yet it could hardly have been the real cause
of it。
So rapt was I in the sympathetic contemplation of her that I did not
see Maitland's entrance or realise I was observed till he plucked me
by the coat and motioned me to get down。 I did so and he told me
he had rented the rooms； and laid before me the plan he meant to
pursue。
As soon as he had ceased speaking I said to him： 〃George； you are
undoubtedly on the right track。 The man in there is the one we are
looking for； fast enough； but I am afraid we are a bit too late。〃
〃Too late！〃 he exclaimed in a tone that I feared might be overheard。
〃What the mischief do you mean？〃
〃I mean；〃 I replied； 〃that M。 Godin is already upon the scene。〃
In the next ten seconds Maitland turned all colours and I edged
nearer to him； expecting him to fall； but he did not。
〃M。 Godin！〃 he ejaculated at length。 〃How in the name of all the
gods at once … Doc； he's all they claim for him； and as fascinating
as he is clever；〃 at which last remark a heavy cloud passed over
Maitland's face。 〃Come；〃 he continued listlessly； 〃you may as well
tell me all you know about it。〃
I then confided to him what I had heard and ended by asking him
what he proposed to do。
〃Do？〃 he replied。 〃There is but one thing I can do； which makes
the choice decidedly easy；〃 and he set his jaws together with a
determined expression； the meaning of which I knew full well。
〃I shall camp right here；〃 he said； 〃 till I learn all I wish to
know of our neighbours yonder。 I have already provided myself with
instruments which will enable me to note every movement they make；
indeed to photograph them； if necessary； and to hear and record
every word they utter。 You look surprised； but it is easily done。
I will place my lenses there at the chink through which you were
gazing and bring the image down into my camera obscura by a prism
arranged for total internal reflection。 As for the hearing； that
is easier yet。 I will carefully work away the plaster on this
side to…night till I get through to the paper covering their wall。
This I will leave intact to use as a diaphragm。 I have then only
to fasten my carbon to it； and； behold； we have a microphone or
telephone … whichever you choose to call it。 All I have to look
out for is that I get it high enough to avoid the danger of the
paper being accidentally broken from the other side； and that I
work quietly while removing the plaster。 I shall； of course； cover
it with a bit of black felt to prevent our light from showing； and
to deaden any sounds from this side。 This will enable us to hear
all that goes on in the other room； but this may not be enough。
We may need a phonographic record of what transpires。
〃The device whereby I secure this at such a distance is an invention
of my own which； for patent reasons … I might almost say 'patent
patent reasons' … I will ask you to kindly keep to yourself。 To the
diaphragm there I fasten this bit of burnished silver。 Upon this I
concentrate a pencil of light which； when reflected； acts
photographically upon a sensitised moving tape in this little box；
and perfectly registers the minutest movement of the receiving
diaphragm。 How I develop； etch； and reproduce this record； and
transform it into a record of the ordinary type； you will see in
due time … and will kindly keep secret for the present。 You had
better go now and send me the things on this list； as soon as
possible；〃 and he passed me a paper； continuing：
〃We will not despair yet。 Our clever rival may not be ready to
prove his case so quickly as we。 At all events； when he comes again
I shall be in a condition to ascertain how far he has progressed。 I
have some things I must settle before I can ask for an arrest； and
I am not at all sure that M。 Godin is in any better condition in
this regard than I am。 By Jove！ I'd give something to know how
that wizard has gotten so far without so much as a single sign
to indicate that he had even moved in the matter。 I say； Doc； it
beats me； blessed if it doesn't！ Please say to Miss Darrow that I
am at work upon a promising clue…promising for someone； anyway … and
may not see her for some time yet。〃
I did as he requested； and； if I am any judge of feminine
indications； my message did not