"If I take it up I must understand every detail," said he. "Taketime to consider. The smallest point may be the most essential. Yousay that the man came ten days ago and paid you for a fortnight'sboard and lodging?"

　　"He asked my terms, sir. I said fifty shillings a week. There is asmall sittingroom and bedroom, and all complete, at the top of thehouse."

　　"Well?"

　　"He said, 'I'll pay you five pounds a week if I can have it on myown terms.' I'm a poor woman, sir, and Mr. Warren earns little, andthe money meant much to me. He took out a ten-pound note, and heheld it out to me then and there. 'You can have the same everyfortnight for a long time to come if you keep the terms,' he said. 'Ifnot, I'll have no more to do with you.'"

　　"What were the terms?"

　　"Well, sir, they were that he was to have a key of the house. Thatwas all right. Lodgers often have them. Also, that he was to be leftentirely to himself and never, upon any excuse, to be disturbed.""Nothing wonderful in that, surely?"

　　"Not in reason, sir. But this is out of all reason. He has beenthere for ten days, and neither Mr. Warren, nor I, nor the girl hasonce set eyes upon him. We can hear that quick step of his pacing upand down, up and down, night, morning, and noon; but except on thatfirst night he has never once gone out of the house."

　　"Oh, he went out the first night, did he?"

　　"Yes, sir, and returned very late- after we were all in bed. He toldme after he had taken the rooms that he would do so and asked me notto bar the door. I heard him come up the stair after midnight.""But his meals?"

　　"It was his particular direction that we should always, when herang, leave his meal upon a chair, outside his door. Then he ringsagain when he has finished, and we take it down from the same chair.If he wants anything else he prints it on a slip of paper and leavesit."