Thereupon Stuart related as briefly as possible the mysterious episode of the cowled man, and finally gave an account of the last visit of Mlle. Dorian. Inspector Dunbar did not interrupt him, but listened attentively to the singular story. "And there," concluded Stuart, "on the blotting-pad, lies the sealed envelope!" Dunbar took it up eagerly. A small hole had been burned in one end of the envelope and much of the surrounding paper was charred. The wax with which Stuart had sealed it had lain uppermost, and although it had been partly melted, the mark of his signet-ring was still discernible upon it. Dunbar stood staring at it. "In the circumstances, Inspector, I think you would be justified in opening both envelopes," said Stuart. "I am inclined to agree. But let me just be clear on one or two points." He took out the bulging note-book and also a fountain-pen with which he prepared to make entries. "About this cabman, now. You didn't by any chance note the number of his cab?" "I did not." "What build of man was he?" "Over medium height and muscular. Somewhat inclined to flesh and past his youth, but active all the same." "Dark or fair?" "Dark and streaked with grey. I noted this particularly in dressing his skull. He wore his hair cropped close to the scalp. He had a short beard and moustache and heavily marked eyebrows. He seemed to be very short-sighted and kept his eyes so screwed up that it was impossible to detect their colour, by night at any rate." "What sort of wound had he on his skull?" "A short ugly gash. He had caught his head on the footboard in falling. I may add that on the occasion of his professional visit his breath smelled strongly of spirits, and I rather suspected that his accident might have been traceable to his condition." "But he wasn't actually drunk?" "By no means. He was perfectly sober, but he had recently been drinking--possibly because his fall had shaken him, of course." "His hands?" "Small and very muscular. Quite steady. Also very dirty." "What part of the country should you say he hailed from?" "London. He had a marked cockney accent." "What make of cab was it?" "I couldn't say." "An old cab?" "Yes. The fittings were dilapidated, I remember, and the cab had a very musty smell." "Ah," said Dunbar, making several notes. "And now--the lady: about what would be her age?" "Difficult to say, Inspector. She had Eastern blood and may have been much younger than she appeared to be. Judged from a European standpoint and from her appearance and manner of dress, she might be about twenty-three or twenty-four." "Complexion?" "Wonderful. Fresh as a flower." "Eyes?" "Dark. They looked black at night." "Hair?" "Brown and 'fuzzy' with copper tints." "Tall?" "No; slight but beautifully shaped." "Now--from her accent what should you judge her nationality to be?" Stuart paced up and down the room, his head lowered in reflection, then: