“H'm!” said the inspector, making notes; “it appears so, certainly. I will ask you then, for your own account, Mr. Leroux, of the arrival of the woman in the civet furs. Pay special attention”--he pointed with his fountain-pen--“to the TIME at which the various incidents occurred.” Leroux, growing calmer as he proceeded with the strange story, complied with the inspector's request. He had practically completed his account when the door-bell rang. “It's the servants,” said Dr. Cumberly. “Soames will open the door.” But Soames did not appear. The ringing being repeated:-- “I told him to remain in his room,” said Dunbar, “until I rang for him, I remember--” “I will open the door,” said Cumberly. “And tell the servants to stay in the kitchen,” snapped Dunbar. Dr. Cumberly opened the door, admitting the cook and housemaid. “There has been an unfortunate accident,” he said--“but not to your master; you need not be afraid. But be good enough to remain in the kitchen for the present.” Peeping in furtively as they passed, the two women crossed the lobby and went to their own quarters. “Mr. Soames next,” muttered Dunbar, and, glancing at Cumberly as he returned from the lobby:--“Will you ring for him?” he requested. Dr. Cumberly nodded, and pressed a bell beside the mantelpiece. An interval followed, in which the inspector made notes and Cumberly stood looking at Leroux, who was beating his palms upon his knees, and staring unseeingly before him. Cumberly rang again; and in response to the second ring, the housemaid appeared at the door. “I rang for Soames,” said Dr. Cumberly. “He is not in, sir,” answered the girl. Inspector Dunbar started as though he had been bitten. “What!” he cried; “not in?” “No, sir,” said the girl, with wide-open, frightened eyes. Dunbar turned to Cumberly. “You said there was no other way out!” “There IS no other way, to my knowledge.” “Where's his room?” Cumberly led the way to a room at the end of a short corridor, and Inspector Dunbar, entering, and turning up the light, glanced about the little apartment. It was a very neat servants' bedroom; with comfortable, quite simple, furniture; but the chest-of-drawers had been hastily ransacked, and the contents of a trunk--or some of its contents--lay strewn about the floor. “He has packed his grip!” came Leroux's voice from the doorway. “It's gone!” The window was wide open. Dunbar sprang forward and leaned out over the ledge, looking to right and left, above and below. A sort of square courtyard was beneath, and for the convenience of tradesmen, a hand-lift was constructed outside the kitchens of the three flats comprising the house; i. e.:--Mr. Exel's, ground floor, Henry Leroux's second floor, and Dr. Cumberly's, top. It worked in a skeleton shaft which passed close to the left of Soames' window. For an active man, this was a good enough ladder, and the inspector withdrew his head shrugging his square shoulders, irritably.