The House Opposite A Mystery By Elizabeth Kent [Illustration] G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS New York and London The Knickerbocker Press 1903 COPYRIGHT 1902 BY G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS Published, August, 1902 Reprinted, January, 1903; March, 1903; October, 1903 The Knickerbocker Press, New York CONTENTS CHAPTER I PAGE THROUGH MY NEIGHBOUR'S WINDOWS 1 CHAPTER II I AM INVOLVED IN THE CASE 7 CHAPTER III A CORONER'S INQUEST 25 CHAPTER IV UNWILLING WITNESSES 36 CHAPTER V MRS. ATKINS HOLDS SOMETHING BACK 49 CHAPTER VI A LETTER AND ITS ANSWER 66 CHAPTER VII MR. MERRITT INSTRUCTS ME 72 CHAPTER VIII AN IDENTIFICATION 93 CHAPTER IX I INSTRUCT MR. MERRITT 107 CHAPTER X THE MISSING HAT 129 CHAPTER XI MADAME ARGOT'S MAD HUSBAND 148 CHAPTER XII A PROFESSIONAL VISIT OUT OF TOWN 160 CHAPTER XIII MR. AND MRS. ATKINS AT HOME 179 CHAPTER XIV MY HYSTERICAL PATIENT 198 CHAPTER XV A SUDDEN FLIGHT 208 CHAPTER XVI THAT TACTLESS DETECTIVE 220 CHAPTER XVII ONE WOMAN EXONERATED 231 CHAPTER XVIII THE TRUTH OF THE WHOLE MATTER 249 THE HOUSE OPPOSITE CHAPTER I THROUGH MY NEIGHBOUR'S WINDOWS What I am about to relate occurred but a few years ago--in the summer of '99, in fact. You may remember that the heat that year was something fearful. Even old New Yorkers, inured by the sufferings of many summers, were overcome by it, and everyone who could, fled from the city. On the particular August day when this story begins, the temperature had been even more unbearable than usual, and approaching night brought no perceptible relief. After dining with Burton (a young doctor like myself), we spent the evening wandering about town trying to discover a cool spot. At last, thoroughly exhausted by our vain search, I decided to turn in, hoping to sleep from sheer fatigue; but one glance at my stuffy little bedroom discouraged me. Dragging a divan before the window of the front room, I composed myself for the night with what resignation I could muster. I found, however, that the light and noise from the street kept me awake; so, giving up sleep as a bad job, I decided to try my luck on the roof. Arming myself with a rug and a pipe, I stole softly upstairs. It was a beautiful starlight night, and after spreading my rug against a chimney and lighting my pipe I concluded that things really might be worse.