THE CIRCULAR STUDY

CONTENTS.


BOOK I.--A STRANGE CRIME.

I.--Red Light

II.--Mysteries

III.--The Mute Servitor

IV.--A New Experience for Mr. Gryce

V.--Five Small Spangles

VI.--Suggestions From an Old Friend

VII.--Amos's Son

VIII.--In the Round of the Staircase

IX.--High and Low

X.--Bride Roses

XI.--Misery

XII.--Thomas Explains

XIII.--Despair

XIV.--Memoranda


BOOK II.--REMEMBER EVELYN.

I.--The Secret of the Cadwaladers

II.--The Oath

III.--Eva

IV.--Felix

V.--Why the Iron Slide Remained Stationary

VI.--Answered

VII.--Last Words




BOOK I

A STRANGE CRIME




CHAPTER I.

RED LIGHT.


Mr. Gryce was melancholy. He had attained that period in life when the
spirits flag and enthusiasm needs a constant spur, and of late there had
been a lack of special excitement, and he felt dull and superannuated.
He was even contemplating resigning his position on the force and
retiring to the little farm he had bought for himself in Westchester;
and this in itself did not tend to cheerfulness, for he was one to whom
action was a necessity and the exercise of his mental faculties more
inspiring than any possible advantage which might accrue to him from
their use.

But he was not destined to carry out this impulse yet. For just at the
height of his secret dissatisfaction there came a telephone message to
Headquarters which roused the old man to something like his former vigor
and gave to the close of this gray fall day an interest he had not
expected to feel again in this or any other kind of day. It was sent
from Carter's well-known drug store, and was to the effect that a lady
had just sent a boy in from the street to say that a strange crime had
been committed in ----'s mansion round the corner. The boy did not know
the lady, and was shy about showing the money she had given him, but
that he had money was very evident, also, that he was frightened enough
for his story to be true. If the police wished to communicate with him,
he could be found at Carter's, where he would be detained till an order
for his release should be received.