Genre Mystery & Crime. Page - 19

What could be more hopelessly prosaic and material? What is the use of having powers, doctor, when one has no field upon which to exert them? Crime is commonplace, existence is commonplace, and no qualities save those which are commonplace have any function upon earth."I had opened my mouth to reply to this tirade, when with a crisp knock our landlady entered, bearing a card upon the brass salver. "A young lady for you, sir," she said, addressing my companion. "Miss Mary

.Gurney: What was the face value of the policy? Gorham: One thousand dollars. Gurney: Do you know how much money Morlock owed at the time of his wife's death? Gorham: Certainly not. Gurney: But you do know that he was heavily in debt and that he was being hounded by his creditors. * * * The Commonwealth of Massachusetts vs. Alvin Morlock. Direct testimony of George Gorham. It was only half-past two when Morlock stopped in front of the immaculately gleaming facade of the appliance store.

pany them upstairs while he questioned her. In the absence of the coroner he wouldn't let the doctor touch the body."I must repair this lock," he said, "the first thing, so nothing can be disturbed." Doctor Groom, a grim and dark man, had grown silent on entering the room. For a long time he stared at the body in the candle light, making as much of an examination as he could, evidently, without physical contact. "Why did he ever come here to sleep?" he asked in his

his hand, the golden Papa has a letter; and after he has made his excuse for disturbing us in our Infernal Region with the common mortal Business of the house, he addresses himself to the three young Misses, and begins, as you English begin everything in this blessed world that you have to say, with a great O. 'O, my dears,' says the mighty merchant, 'I have got here a letter from my friend, Mr.----'(the name has slipped out of my mind; but no matter; we shall come back to that; yes,

upon the farm and carried off the maiden, her father and brothers being from home, as he well knew. When they had brought her to the Hall the maiden was placed in an upper chamber, while Hugo and his friends sat down to a long carouse, as was their nightly custom. Now, the poor lass upstairs was like to have her wits turned at the singing and shouting and terrible oaths which came up to her from below, for they say that the words used by Hugo Baskerville, when he was in wine, were such as might

easy to draw out, though he can be communicative enough when the fancy seizes him.""I should like to meet him," I said. "If I am to lodge with anyone, I should prefer a man of studious and quiet habits. I am not strong enough yet to stand much noise or excitement. I had enough of both in Afghanistan to last me for the remainder of my natural existence. How could I meet this friend of yours?" "He is sure to be at the laboratory," returned my companion. "He

ohn left me, and a few minutes later I saw him from my window walking slowly across the grass arm in arm with Cynthia Murdoch. I heard Mrs. Inglethorp call "Cynthia" impatiently, and the girl started and ran back to the house. At the same moment, a man stepped out from the shadow of a tree and walked slowly in the same direction. He looked about forty, very dark with a melancholy clean-shaven face. Some violent emotion seemed to be mastering him. He looked up at my window as he

ly analyzing the mysteries of the human mind; such tales of illusion and banter as "The Premature Burial" and "The System of Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether"; such bits of extravaganza as "The Devil in the Belfry" and "The Angel of the Odd"; such tales of adventure as "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym"; such papers of keen criticism and review as won for Poe the enthusiastic admiration of Charles Dickens, although they made him many enemies

boy. But I can assure you that that sort of thing might touch the heart of an elderly spinster, and she might adopt you, and then there would be no need for you to be a young adventurer at all.""I don't want to be adopted." "I forgot you had a prejudice against it. I was only ragging you! The papers are full up to the brim with that type of thing. Now listen--how's this? 'Two young adventurers for hire. Willing to do anything, go anywhere. Pay must be good.' (We might as

u two roubles last time for your ring and one could buy it quite new at a jeweler's for a rouble and a half.""Give me four roubles for it, I shall redeem it, it was my father's. I shall be getting some money soon." "A rouble and a half, and interest in advance, if you like!" "A rouble and a half!" cried the young man. "Please yourself"--and the old woman handed him back the watch. The young man took it, and was so angry that he was on the point of