“When you have examined it yourself,” he said, “let the lady
look at it if she will,” and he commenced to write at length in his
notebook. I made a simple alteration in his suggestion. I held out the glass
toward Miss Trelawny, saying:

“Had you not better examine it first?”  She drew back, slightly raising
her hand in disclaimer, as she said impulsively:

“Oh no! Father would doubtless have shown it to me had he wished me to
see it. I would not like to without his consent.”  Then she added,
doubtless fearing lest her delicacy of view should give offence to the
rest of us:

“Of course it is right that you should see it. You have to examine and
consider everything; and indeed—indeed I am grateful to you...”

She turned away; I could see that she was crying quietly. It was
evident to me that even in the midst of her trouble and anxiety there
was a chagrin that she knew so little of her father; and that her
ignorance had to be shown at such a time and amongst so many strangers. That they were all men did not make the shame more easy to bear, though
there was a certain relief in it. Trying to interpret her feelings I
could not but think that she must have been glad that no woman’s
eyes—of understanding greater than man’s—were upon her in that hour. When I stood up from my examination, which verified to me that of the
Doctor, the latter resumed his place beside the couch and went on with
his ministrations. Superintendent Dolan said to me in a whisper:

“I think we are fortunate in our doctor!” I nodded, and was about to
add something in praise of his acumen, when there came a low tapping at
the door. Chapter II

Strange Instructions


Superintendent Dolan went quietly to the door; by a sort of natural
understanding he had taken possession of affairs in the room. The rest
of us waited. He opened the door a little way; and then with a gesture
of manifest relief threw it wide, and a young man stepped in. A young
man clean-shaven, tall and slight; with an eagle face and bright, quick
eyes that seemed to take in everything around him at a glance. As he
came in, the Superintendent held out his hand; the two men shook hands
warmly. “I came at once, sir, the moment I got your message. I am glad I still
have your confidence.”

“That you’ll always have,” said the Superintendent heartily. “I have
not forgotten our old Bow Street days, and I never shall!”  Then,
without a word of preliminary, he began to tell everything he knew up
to the moment of the newcomer’s entry. Sergeant Daw asked a few
questions—a very few—when it was necessary for his understanding of
circumstances or the relative positions of persons; but as a rule
Dolan, who knew his work thoroughly, forestalled every query, and
explained all necessary matters as he went on. Sergeant Daw threw
occasionally swift glances round him; now at one of us; now at the room
or some part of it; now at the wounded man lying senseless on the sofa. When the Superintendent had finished, the Sergeant turned to me and
said:

“Perhaps you remember me, sir. I was with you in that Hoxton case.”

“I remember you very well,” I said as I held out my hand. The
Superintendent spoke again:

“You understand, Sergeant Daw, that you are put in full charge of this
case.”

“Under you I hope, sir,” he interrupted. The other shook his head and
smiled as he said:

“It seems to me that this is a case that will take all a man’s time and
his brains. I have other work to do; but I shall be more than
interested, and if I can help in any possible way I shall be glad to do
so!”

“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 bedclothes 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 on his knees,
carefully avoiding any touch with the stains on the floor, he followed
the blood-marks over to the spot, close under the great safe, where the
body had lain. All around and about this spot he went for a radius of
some yards; but seemingly did not meet with anything to arrest special
attention. Then he examined the front of the safe; round the lock, and
along the bottom and top of the double doors, more especially at the
places of their touching in front. Next he went to the windows, which were fastened down with the hasps.