Thus ordered, the man rather reluctantly took my arm, and crossing the wide main road, we traversed a number of short crooked thoroughfares. "You don't seem a very good walker, mister," the constable observed presently. "I see a cab in the distance. Would you like to take it?" "Yes. Call it," I said, for I felt very weak and ill after my terrible night's adventure. A few minutes later we were sitting together in the hansom, driving towards the address he had given, namely, College Place Police-Station. On the way I explained to him the whole of the facts as far as I could recollect them. He listened attentively to my curious narrative until I had concluded, then said-- "Well, sir, it's certainly a most mysterious affair, and the only fear I have is that everybody will look upon it with disbelief. I know what I should do if I were a gentleman in your place." "What would you do?" "Well, I should keep my knowledge to myself, say nothing about it, and leave the revelation of the crime to chance." "I am compelled to make a report of it, because I was present at the tragedy," I said. "It is my duty, in the interests of justice." "Of course, that's all very well, I quite agree that your duty as a citizen is to make a statement to my inspector, but if I may be permitted to say so, my private opinion is, that to preserve a discreet silence is better than making a fool of one's self." "You're certainly plain-spoken," I said smiling. "Oh, well, you'll excuse me, sir," the man said, half-apologetically. "I mean no offence, you know. I only tell you how I myself would act. Now, if you could give any real information of value to the detectives, there would be some reason for making the statement, but as you can't, well you'll only give yourself no end of bother for nothing." "But surely, man, you don't think that with the knowledge of this terrible affair in my mind I'm going to preserve silence and allow the assassin to escape, do you?" "Well, it seems that the assassin has escaped already, in any case," the man laughed. "You take it from me that they were a cute lot in that house, whoever they were. The wonder is that they didn't kill you." An exactly similar thought had crossed my mind. The drive seemed a long one, but at length the cab stopped, and we alighted. I heard the conveyance turn and go off, as together we ascended the steps of the station. One thing struck me as curious, namely, that the air was filled with a strong odour like turpentine. "The station is a long way from your beat," I remarked. "Yes. A fairish way, but we're used to it, and don't notice the distance." "And this is College Place--is it?" "Yes," he responded, conducting me down a long passage. The length of the corridor surprised me, and I humorously remarked-- "You're not going to put me in the cells, I hope?" "Scarcely," he laughed. "But if we did the darkness wouldn't trouble you very much, I fear. Blindness must be an awful affliction."