Tales of Terror and Mystery

           Thestorymayleaveyouwithsomelingeringdoubtsastowhethermycuriositydidnotgetthebetterofmyhonour,andwhetherIdidnotcondescendtoplaythespy.IfyouchoosetothinksoIcannothelpit,butcanonlyassureyouthat,improbableasitmayappear,themattercameaboutexactlyasIdescribeit.

           Thefirststageinthisdenouementwasthatthesmallroomintheturretbecameuninhabitable.Thisoccurredthroughthefalloftheworm-eatenoakenbeamwhichsupportedtheceiling.Rottenwithage,itsnappedinthemiddleonemorning,andbroughtdownaquantityofplasterwithit.FortunatelySirJohnwasnotintheroomatthetime.Hispreciousboxwasrescuedfromamongstthedebrisandbroughtintothelibrary,where,henceforward,itwaslockedwithinhisbureau.SirJohntooknostepstorepairthedamage,andIneverhadanopportunityofsearchingforthatsecretpassage,theexistenceofwhichIhadsurmised.Astothelady,Ihadthoughtthatthiswouldhavebroughthervisitstoanend,hadInotoneeveningheardMr.RichardsaskingMrs.StevenswhothewomanwaswhomhehadoverheardtalkingtoSirJohninthelibrary.Icouldnotcatchherreply,butIsawfromhermannerthatitwasnotthefirsttimethatshehadhadtoansweroravoidthesamequestion.

           "You’veheardthevoice,Colmore?"saidtheagent.

           IconfessedthatIhad.

           "AndwhatdoYOUthinkofit?"

           Ishruggedmyshoulders,andremarkedthatitwasnobusinessofmine.

           "Come,come,youarejustascuriousasanyofus.Isitawomanornot?"

           "Itiscertainlyawoman.