"What's in here?" he asked, tapping the safe.
"My stepfather's business papers."
"Oh! you have seen inside, then?"
"Only once, some years ago. I remember that it was full ofpapers."
"There isn't a cat in it, for example?"
"No. What a strange idea!"
"Well, look at this!" He took up a small saucer of milk whichstood on the top of it.
"No; we don't keep a cat. But there is a cheetah and a baboon."
"Ah, yes, of course! Well, a cheetah is just a big cat, and yet asaucer of milk does not go very far in satisfying its wants, Idaresay. There is one point which I should wish to determine." Hesquatted down in front of the wooden chair and examined the seatof it with the greatest attention.
"Thank you. That is quite settled," said he, rising and puttinghis lens in his pocket. "Hullo! Here is something interesting!"
The object which had caught his eye was a small dog lash hung onone corner of the bed. The lash, however, was curled upon itselfand tied so as to make a loop of whipcord.
"What do you make of that, Watson?"
"It's a common enough lash. But I don't know why it should betied."
"That is not quite so common, is it? Ah, me! it's a wicked world,and when a clever man turns his brains to crime it is the worstof all. I think that I have seen enough now, Miss Stoner, andwith your permission we shall walk out upon the lawn."
I had never seen my friend's face so grim or his brow so dark asit was when we turned from the scene of this investigation. Wehad walked several times up and down the lawn, neither MissStoner nor myself liking to break in upon his thoughts before heroused himself from his reverie.
"It is very essential, Miss Stoner," said he, "that you shouldabsolutely follow my advice in every respect."
"I shall most certainly do so."
"The matter is too serious for any hesitation. Your life maydepend upon your compliance."
"I assure you that I am in your hands."
"In the first place, both my friend and I must spend the night inyour room."
Both Miss Stoner and I gazed at him in astonishment.
"Yes, it must be so. Let me explain. I believe that that is thevillage inn over there?"
"Yes, that is the Crown."
"Very good. Your windows would be visible from there?"
"Certainly."
"You must confine yourself to your room, on pretence of aheadache, when your stepfather comes back. Then when you hear himretire for the night, you must open the shutters of your window,undo the hasp, put your lamp there as a signal to us, and thenwithdraw quietly with everything which you are likely to wantinto the room which you used to occupy. I have no doubt that, inspite of the repairs, you could manage there for one night."
"Oh, yes, easily."
"The rest you will leave in our hands."
"But what will you do?"
"We shall spend the night in your room, and we shall investigatethe cause of this noise which has disturbed you."