“A poor collection,” was his comment, as he returned the box and handkerchief to his pocket, “and yet not so poor as I had feared. Perhaps, if we question them closely enough, these unconsidered trifles may be made to tell us something worth learning after all. Shall we go into the other room?”

We passed out on to the landing and into the front room, where, guided by experience, we made straight for the fireplace. But the little heap of rubbish there contained nothing that even Thorndyke’s inquisitive eye could view with interest. We wandered disconsolately round the room, peering into the empty cupboards and scanning the floor and the corners by the skirting, without discovering a single object or relic of the late occupants. In the course of my perambulations I halted by the window and was looking down into the street when Thorndyke called to me sharply:

“Come away from the window, Jervis! Have you forgotten that Mrs. Schallibaum may be in the neighbourhood at this moment?”