death　to　have　resulted　from　poison　hypodermically　applied；　and；　as
  I　overheard　a　remark　made　by　Osborne　to　Allen；　I　readily　understood
  their　speedy　abandonment　of　their　natural…death　theory。　　They　were
  engaged　in　verifying　Maitland's　measurement　of　the　east　side　of　the
  room　when　Osborne　said　softly　to　his　companion：　〃He　has　figured　in
  several　of　my　cases　as　a　chemical　expert；　and　when　he　expresses　an
  opinion　on　a　matter　it's　about　the　same　as　proved。　　He's　not　the
  kind　that　jumps　in　the　dark。　　He's　a　lawyer　as　well　as　chemist　and
  knows　what's　evidence；　so　I　reckon　we'd　better　see　if　we　can　make
  anything　out　of　the　suicide　and　murder　theories。〃
  Maitland　had　asked　them　to　send　to　the　station　for　a　woman　to　search
  Gwen　and　she　had　just　arrived。　　We　all　requested　that　a　most
  thorough　examination　should　now　be　made　to　assure　the　officers　that
  no　one　of　us　possessed　the　missing　weapon。　　This　done；　the　officers
  and　　departed　for　the　night；　assuring　Gwen　that　there　was
  nothing　further　to　be　done　till　morning；　and　Osborne；　doubtless　with
  a　view　to　consoling　her；　said：　〃It　may　be　a　relief　to　you；　miss；
  to　know　that　there　is　scarcely　a　doubt　that　your　father　took　his
  own　life。〃　　This　had　an　effect　upon　Gwen　very　different　from　that
  which　had　been　intended。　　Her　face　contracted；　and　it　was　plain　to
  see　she　was　beginning　to　think　everyone　was　determined　to　force　a
  falsehood　upon　her。　　Herne　and　Browne　also　prepared　to　take　their
  leave。　　A　glance　from　Maitland　told　me　he　wished　me　to　remain　with
  him　a　moment　after　the　others　had　departed；　and　I　accordingly　did　so。
  When　we　were　alone　with　Gwen　he　said　to　her：　〃I　think　I　understand
  your　feeling　with　regard　to　Mr。　Osborne's　remark；　as　well　as　your
  conviction　that　it　does　not　represent　the　truth。　　I　foresaw　they
  would　come　to　this　conclusion；　and　know　very　well　the　pains　they
  will　take　to　prove　their　hypothesis。〃　　〃Can　nothing　be　done？〃　she
  asked　beseechingly。　　〃It　is　that　of　which　I　wish　to　speak；〃　he
  replied。　　〃If　you　have　sufficient　confidence　in　me　to　place　the
  case　in　my　hands；　I　will　do　everything　in　my　power　to　establish
  the　truth；　…　on　one　condition；〃　and　he　glanced　at　her　face；　now
  pale　and　rigid　from　her　long…continued　effort　of　self…control。
  〃And　that　condition　is？〃　she　said　quickly。　　〃That　you　follow　my
  directions　and　permit　me　to　order　your　movements　in　all　things；　so
  long　as　the　case　remains　in　my　hands；　if　at　any　time　I　seek　to
  abuse　your　faith；　you　are　as　free　to　discharge　me　as　if　I　were　a
  paid　detective。〃　　Gwen　looked　searchingly　at　him；　then；　extending
  her　hand　to　him；　she　said　impulsively：　〃You　are　very　kind；　I
  accept　the　condition。　　What　shall　I　do？〃
  I　tried　to　catch　Maitland's　eye　to　tell　him　what　he　should　counsel
  her；　but　a　man　with　his　ability　to　observe　conditions　and　grasp
  situations　can　very　well　do　without　prompting。　　〃First；〃　he　said；
  〃you　must　return　home　with　the　Doctor　and　spend　the　rest　of　the
  night　with　his　sister；　I　shall　stay　here　until　morning；　and　second；
  I　desire　that　you　use　your　utmost　endeavour　to　keep　the　incidents
  of　this　evening　out　of　your　mind。　　You　cannot；　of　course；　forget
  your　loss；　unless　you　sleep；〃　…　and　he　gave　me　a　look　which　said：
  〃I　depend　on　you　to　see　to　that；〃　…　〃but　you　must　not　continually
  re…enact　the　scene　in　imagination；　In　the　morning　the　Doctor　will
  come　here　to　bring　me　my　camera；　microscope；　and　a　few　things　I
  shall　require　〃　…　and　he　passed　me　a　list　he　had　written。　　〃If　you
  have　slept　well　you　can　be　of　considerable　service；　and　may
  accompany　him　…　if　not；　you　must　remain　quietly　at　his　house。〃
  With　this　he　turned　to　me；　and　said：　〃She　is　making　a　condenser　of
  herself；　Doctor；　and　will　soon　break　through　the　insulation。　　Sparks
  will　be　dangerous　…　you　must　secure　the　brush　effect。〃　　He　spoke
  quickly；　and　used　electrical　terms；　that　she　might　not　understand
  him；　but　either　he　failed　of　his　purpose；　or　the　observation　she
  immediately　made　was　a　strange　coincidence。　　I　believe　she
  understood；　for；　while　young　women　educated　by　their　mothers　are
  usually　ignorant　upon　all　the　more　masculine　subjects；　those　who
  have　long　been　their　father's　companions　are　ever　prone　to　startle
  one　with　the　most　unexpected　flashes　of　intelligence。　　〃I　am　in
  rather　a　high　state　of　tension　now；〃　she　said；　turning　calmly　to
  Maitland；　〃but　when　alone　the　expression　which　has　been　denied　me
  here　will　afford　relief。〃　　Maitland　glanced　at　her　quickly；　and
  then　at　me；　and　I　knew　he　was　wondering　if　she　had　understood。
  Then　he　said：　〃It　is　getting　late。　　I　shall　expect　you　to　sleep
  well　and　to　come　in　the　morning。　　Please　say　to　the　servants　as
  you　go　that　I　shall　stay　here　all　night；　and　that　no　one　must　enter
  without　permission。　　Good…night。〃　　She　held　out　her　hand　to　him；
  but　made　no　reply；　then　she　fervently　kissed　her　father's　lips；
  and　together　we　left　the　chamber　of　death。
  CHAPTER　IV
  Death　speaks　with　the　tongue　of　Memory；　and　his　ashen　hand　reaches
  out　of　the　great　unknown　to　seize　and　hold　fast　our　plighted　souls。
  What　Maitland's　reason　was　for　spending　the　night　with　the　dead　body
  of　Darrow；　or　how　he　busied　himself　until　morning；　I　do　not　know。
  Perhaps　he　desired　to　make　sure　that　everything　remained　untouched；
  or；　it　may　be；　that　he　chose。　　this　method　of　preventing　Gwen　from
  performing　a　vigil　by　the　body。　　I　thought　this　latter　view　very
  probable　at　the　time；　as　I　had　been　singularly　impressed　with　the
  remarkable　foresight　my　friend　had　displayed　in　so　quickly　and
  adroitly　getting　Gwen　away　from　everything　connected　with　her
  father's　sad　and　mysterious　death。
  Arriving　at　my　house　my　sister　took　an　early　opportunity　to　urge
  upon　Gwen　a　glass　of　wine；　in　which　I　had　placed　a　generous　sedative。
  The　terrible　tension　soon　began　to　relax；　and　in　less　than　half　an
  hour　she　was　sleeping　quietly。　　I　dreaded　the　moment　when　she　should
  awake　and　the　memory　of　all　that　had　happened　should　descend　like　an
  avalanche　upon　her。　　I　told　my　sister　that　this　would　be　a　critical
  moment；　cautioning　her　to　stay　by　Gwen　and　to　give　her；　immediately
  upon　her　arising；　a　draught　I　had　prepared　for　the　purpose　of
  somewhat　deadening　her　sensibilities。　　I　arose　early；　and　went　to
  Maitland's　laboratory　to　collect　the　things　he　desired。　　When　I
  returned　Gwen　was　awake；　and　to　my　intense　gratification　in　even　a
  better　condition　than　I　had　dared　to　hope。
  It　was　quite　late　when　we　reached　her　house；　and　Maitland　had
  evidently　been　at　work　several　hours。　　He　looked　sharply　at　Gwen
  when　she　entered；　and　seemed　much　pleased　at　her　condition。　　〃You
  have　obeyed　my　instructions；　I　see；　and　slept；〃　he　said；　as　he　gave
  her　his　hand。　　〃Yes；〃　she　replied；　〃I　was　very　tired；　and　the
  doctor's　cordial　quite　overcame　me；〃　and　she　cast　an　inquiring
  glance　at　the　network　of　white　string　which　Maitland　had　stretched
  across　the　carpet；　dividing　it　into　squares　like　an　immense
  checker…board。　　In　reply　to　her　questioning　look；　he　said：　〃French
  detectives　are　the　most　thorough　in　the　world；　and　I　am　about　to
  make　use　of　their　method　of　instituting　an　exhaustive　search。　　Each
  one　of　the　squares　formed　by　these　intersecting　strings　is　numbered；
  and　represents　one　square　foot　of　carpet；　the　numbers　running　from
  one　to　two　hundred　and　eighty…eight。　　Every　inch　of　every　one　of
  these　squares　I　shall　examine　under　a　microscope；　and　anything　found
  which　can　be　of　any　possible　interest　will　be　carefully　preserved；
  and　its　exact　location　accurately　marked　upon　this　chart　I　have
  prepared；　which；　as　you　will　see；　has　the　same　number　of　squares　as
  the　room；　the　area　of　each　square　being　reduced　from　one　square　foot
  to　one　square　inch。　　You　will　note　that　I　have　already　marked　the
  location　of　all　doors；　windows；　and　furniture。　　The　weapon；　if　there
  be　one；　may　be　very　minute；　but　if　it　be　on　the　floor　we　may　be
  assured　the　microscope　will　find　it。　　The　walls　of　the　room；
  especially　any　shelving　projections；　and　the　furniture；　I　shall
  examine　with　equal　thoroughness；　though　I　have　now　some　additional
  reasons　for　believing　the　weapon　is　not　here。〃
  〃Have　you　discovered　anything　new？〃　Gwen　exclaimed；　unable　to　control
  the　excitement　caused　by　this　last　remark。　　〃You　must　pardon　me；〃
  Maitland　rejoined；　〃if　I　ask　you　and　the　Doctor　a　question　before
  replying。〃　　She　nodded　assent；　and　he　continued：　〃I　wish　to　know　if
  you　agree　with　me　that　we　shall　be　more　likely　to　arrive　at　a
  solution　of　the　problem　before　us　if　we　keep　our　own　counsel　than
  if　we　take　the　officers　of　the　law；　or；　for　that　matter；　anyone
  else；　into　our　confidence。　　You　undoubtedly　noticed　how　carefully　M。
  Godin　kept　his　own　counsel。　　Official　methods；　and　the　hasty
  generalisations　which　form　a　part　thereof　…　to　say　nothing　of　the
  petty　rivalries　and　the　passion　for　notoriety　…　can　do　much　to　hinder
  our　own　work；　and；　I　believe；　nothing　to　help　it。　　What　say　you？〃
  〃That　we　keep　our　work　to　ourselves；〃　Gwen　quickly　rejoined；　and　I
  signified　that　I　was　of　the　same　opinion。　　〃Then；〃　Maitland　continued；
  〃I　may　say　this　in　answer　to　your　question。　　I　have　ascertained
  something　which　may　bear　upon　the　case　in　hand。　　You　will　remember
  that　part　of　the　gravel　for　redressing　the