As I did so, I felt that there was a pocket in the lining, that it was buttoned, and that there was something within. Quickly I unbuttoned it and drew forth a small packet wrapped in glazed writing-paper, dirty and worn through being carried for a long time. With care I opened it, and inside found an object which caused us both to give vent to an ejaculation of wonder. It was simply a penny. "His mascot, I suppose," remarked the inspector. "A lucky coin." "But it has no hole through it," I observed. "The hole is of no importance. The coin may have been given him for luck," replied my companion. "Lots of people believe in such things, especially betting men." "He was evidently very careful of it," I said, at the same time searching and finding another pocket on the other side of the vest, and from this I took a neat little cloth-covered case, not much larger than those containing cigarette tubes, and found on opening it that it contained a small hypodermic syringe, complete with its needles and accessories. "This shows that he was addicted to the morphia habit," I remarked. "An overdose, perhaps." My friend, who had now recovered something of his coolness and self-possession, took the tiny instrument and examined it carefully beneath the gas-light. "There's been no morphia in this lately," he said. "It's quite dry, and certainly hasn't been used to-day." "Let's search the whole house," I suggested. "We may find something which will give us a clue as to who and what these people were. Funny that the servants don't come back, isn't it?" "I don't expect they will," answered Patterson. "Depend upon it that there's more mystery in this affair than we at present suspect." "Why?" "Look at these," he said, passing over to me the three banknotes found upon the dead man. "They are spurious!" No second glance was needed to convince me that he spoke the truth. They were clever imitations of ten-pound notes, but the paper, the despair of the forger, was thick and entirely different to that of the genuine bank-note. Again I glanced at that beautiful woman's face with its smile of mingled ecstatic pleasure and bitterness. Her sightless eyes seemed fixed upon me, following me as I moved. I drew back horrified, shuddering. Her gaze was ghastly. "It certainly is a most mysterious affair," I ejaculated again, glancing around the place. "You ought at once to report it." "No," cried my companion quickly. "The discovery must be yours. You must report it, Mr. Urwin." "Why?" "Because, as I've already told you, I fear to do so on account of the snake." I smiled at his curious objection, but an instant later grew serious because of the sharp and sudden ringing of an electric bell somewhere on the ground floor. It was the bell my companion had heard when first knocking at the door.