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But　George　did　not　wait　for　me　to　express　my　wishes。　　He　gave　me　a　little　good　advice　as　to　how　I　had　better　employ　my　time　in　his　absence；　and　was　off　before　I　could　find　words　to　answer。

This　ends　all　I　have　to　say　about　myself；　but　the　events　of　that　night　carefully　related　to　me　by　George　are　important　enough　for　me　to　describe　them；　with　all　the　detail　which　is　their　rightful　due。　I　shall　tell　the　story　as　I　have　already　been　led　to　do　in　other　portions　of　this　narrative；　as　though　I　were　present　and　shared　the　adventure。

As　soon　as　the　two　were　in　the　street；　the　detective　turned　towards　George　and　said：

〃Mr。　Anderson；　I　have　a　great　deal　to　ask　of　you。　　The　business　before　us　is　not　a　simple　one；　and　I　fear　that　I　shall　have　to　subject　you　to　more　inconvenience　than　is　customary　in　matters　like　this。　　Mr。　Brotherson　has　vanished；　that　is；　in　his　own　proper　person；　but　I　have　an　idea　that　I　am　on　the　track　of　one　who　will　lead　us　very　directly　to　him　if　we　manage　the　affair　carefully。　What　I　want　of　you；　of　course；　is　mere　identification。　　You　saw　the　face　of　the　man　who　washed　his　hands　in　the　snow；　and　would　know　it　again；　you　say。　　Do　you　think　you　could　be　quite　sure　of　yourself；　if　the　man　were　differently　dressed　and　differently　occupied？

〃I　think　so。　　There's　his　height　and　a　certain　strong　look　in　his　face。　　I　cannot　describe　it。〃

〃You　don't　need　to。　　Come！　　we're　all　right。　　You　don't　mind　making　a　night　of　it？〃

〃Not　if　it　is　necessary。

〃That　we　can't　tell　yet。〃　　And　with　a　characteristic　shrug　and　smile；　the　detective　led　the　way　to　a　taxicab　which　stood　in　waiting　at　the　corner。

A　quarter　of　an　hour　of　rather　fast　riding　brought　them　into　a　tangle　of　streets　on　the　East　side。　　As　George　noticed　the　swarming　sidewalks　and　listened　to　the　noises　incident　to　an　over…populated　quarter；　he　could　not　forbear；　despite　the　injunction　he　had　received；　to　express　his　surprise　at　the　direction　of　their　search。

Surely；〃　said　he；　〃the　gentleman　I　have　described　can　have　no　friends　here。〃　Then；　bethinking　himself；　he　added：　〃　But　if　he　has　reasons　to　fear　the　law；　naturally　he　would　seek　to　lose　himself　in　a　place　as　different　as　possible　from　his　usual　haunts。〃

〃Yes；　that　would　be　some　men's　way；〃　was　the　curt；　almost　indifferent；　answer　he　received。　　Sweetwater　was　looking　this　way　and　that　from　the　window　beside　him；　and　now；　leaning　out　gave　some　directions　to　the　driver　which　altered　their　course。

When　they　stopped；　which　was　in　a　few　minutes；　he　said　to　George：

〃We　shall　have　to　walk　now　for　a　block　or　two。　　I'm　anxious　to　attract　no　attention；　nor　is　it　desirable　for　you　to　do　so。　　If　you　can　manage　to　act　as　if　you　were　accustomed　to　the　place　and　just　leave　all　the　talking　to　me；　we　ought　to　get　along　first…rate。　Don't　be　astonished　at　anything　you　see；　and　trust　me　for　the　rest；　that's　all。〃

They　alighted；　and　he　dismissed　the　taxicab。　　Some　clock　in　the　neighbourhood　struck　the　hour　of　ten。　　〃Good！　　we　shall　be　in　time；〃　muttered　the　detective；　and　led　the　way　down　the　street　and　round　a　corner　or　so；　till　they　came　to　a　block　darker　than　the　rest；　and　much　less　noisy。

It　had　a　sinister　look；　and　George；　who　is　brave　enough　under　all　ordinary　circumstances；　was　glad　that　his　companion　wore　a　badge　and　carried　a　whistle。　　He　was　also　relieved　when　he　caught　sight　of　the　burly　form　of　a　policeman　in　the　shadow　of　one　of　the　doorways。　　Yet　the　houses　he　saw　before　him　were　not　so　very　different　from　those　they　had　already　passed。　　His　uneasiness　could　not　have　sprung　from　them。　　They　had　even　an　air　of　positive　respectability；　as　though　inhabited　by　industrious　workmen。　　Then；　what　was　it　which　made　the　close　companionship　of　a　member　of　the　police　so　uncommonly　welcome？　　Was　it　a　certain　aspect　of　solitariness　which　clung　to　the　block；　or　was　it　the　sudden　appearance　here　and　there　of　strangely　gliding　figures；　which　no　sooner　loomed　up　against　the　snowy　perspective；　than　they　disappeared　again　in　some　unseen　doorway？

〃There's　a　meeting　on　to…night；　of　the　Associated　Brotherhood　of　the　Awl；　the　Plane　and　the　Trowel　（whatever　that　means）；　and　it　is　the　speaker　we　want　to　see；　the　man　who　is　to　address　them　promptly　at　ten　o'clock。　　Do　you　object　to　meetings？〃

〃Is　this　a　secret　one？〃

〃It　wasn't　advertised。〃

〃Are　we　carpenters　or　masons　that　we　can　count　on　admittance？〃

〃I　am　a　carpenter。　　Don't　you　think　you　can　be　a　mason　for　the　occasion？〃

〃I　doubt　it；　but　…〃

〃Hush！　　I　must　speak　to　this　man。〃

George　stood　back；　and　a　few　words　passed　between　Sweetwater　and　a　shadowy　figure　which　seemed　to　have　sprung　up　out　of　the　sidewalk。

〃Balked　at　the　outset；〃　were　the　encouraging　words　with　which　the　detective　rejoined　George。　　〃It　seems　that　a　pass…word　is　necessary；　and　my　friend　has　been　unable　to　get　it。　　Will　the　speaker　pass　out　this　way？〃　he　inquired　of　the　shadowy　figure　still　lingering　in　their　rear。

〃He　didn't　go　in　by　it；　yet　I　believe　he's　safe　enough　inside；〃　was　the　muttered　answer。

Sweetwater　had　no　relish　for　disappointments　of　this　character；　but　it　was　not　long　before　he　straightened　up　and　allowed　himself　to　exchange　a　few　more　words　with　this　mysterious　person。　　These　appeared　to　be　of　a　more　encouraging　nature　than　the　last；　for　it　was　not　long　before　the　detective　returned　with　renewed　alacrity　to　George；　and；　wheeling　him　about；　began　to　retrace　his　steps　to　the　corner。

〃Are　we　going　back？　　Are　you　going　to　give　up　the　job？〃　George　asked。

〃No；　we're　going　to　take　him　from　the　rear。　　There's　a　break　in　the　fence　…　Oh；　we'll　do　very　well。　　Trust　me。

George　laughed。　　He　was　growing　excited；　but　not　altogether　agreeably　so。　　He　says　that　he　has　seen　moments　of　more　pleasant　anticipation。　Evidently；　my　good　husband　is　not　cut　out　for　detective　work。

Where　they　went　under　this　officer's　guidance；　he　cannot　tell。　　The　tortuous　tangle　of　alleys　through　which　he　now　felt　himself　led　was　dark　as　the　nether　regions　to　his　unaccustomed　eyes。　　There　was　snow　under　his　feet　and　now　and　then　he　brushed　against　some　obtruding　object；　or　stumbled　against　a　low　fence；　but　beyond　these　slight　miscalculations　on　his　own　part；　he　was　a　mere　automaton　in　the　hands　of　his　eager　guide；　and　only　became　his　own　man　again　when　they　suddenly　stepped　into　an　open　yard　and　he　could　discern　plainly　before　him　the　dark　walls　of　a　building　pointed　out　by　Sweetwater　as　their　probable　destination。　　Yet　even　here　they　encountered　some　impediment　which　prohibited　a　close　approach。　　A　wall　or　shed　cut　off　their　view　of　the　building's　lower　storey；　and　though　somewhat　startled　at　being　left　unceremoniously　alone　after　just　a　whispered　word　of　encouragement　from　the　ever　ready　detective；　George　could　quite　understand　the　necessity　which　that　person　must　feel　for　a　quiet　reconnoitering　of　the　surroundings　before　the　two　of　them　ventured　further　forward　in　their　possibly　hazardous　undertaking。　Yet　the　experience　was　none　too　pleasing　to　George；　and　he　was　very　glad　to　hear　Sweetwater's　whisper　again　at　his　ear；　and　to　feel　himself　rescued　from　the　pool　of　slush　in　which　he　had　been　left　to　stand。

〃The　approach　is　not　all　that　can　be　desired；〃　remarked　the　detective　as　they　entered　what　appeared　to　be　a　low　shed。　　〃The　broken　board　has　been　put　back　and　securely　nailed　in　place；　and　if　I　am　not　very　much　mistaken　there　is　a　fellow　stationed　in　the　yard　who　will　want　the　pass…word　too。　　Looks　shady　to　me。　　I'll　have　something　to　tell　the　chief　when　I　get　back。〃

〃But　we！　　What　are　we　going　to　do　if　we　cannot　get　in　front　or　rear？

〃We're　going　to　wait　right　here　in　the　hopes　of　catching　a　glimpse　of　our　man　as　he　comes　out；〃　returned　the　detective；　drawing　George　towards　a　low　window　overlooking　the　yard　he　had　described　as　sentinelled。　　〃He　will　have　to　pass　directly　under　this　window　on　his　way　to　the　alley；〃　Sweetwater　went　on　to　explain；　〃and　if　I　can　only　raise　it　…　but　the　noise　would　give　us　away。　　I　can't　do　that。〃

〃Perhaps　it　swings　on　hinges；〃　suggested　George。　　〃It　looks　like　that　sort　of　a　window。〃

〃If　it　should　…　well！　　it　does。　　We're　in　great　luck；　sir。　　But　before　I　pull　it　open；　remember　that　from　the　moment　I　unlatch　it；　everything　said　or　done　here　can　be　heard　in　the　adjoining　yard。　So　no　whispers　and　no　unnecessary　movements。　　When　you　hear　him　coming；　as　sooner　or　later　you　certainly　will；　fall　carefully　to　your　knees　and　lean　out　just　far　enough　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　him　before　he　steps　down　from　the　porch。　　If　he　stops　to　light　his　cigar　or　to　pass　a　few　words　with　some　of　the　men　he　will　leave　behind；　you　may　get　a　plain　enough　view　of　his　face　or　figure　to　identify　him。　　The　light　is　burning　low　in　that　rear　hall；　but　it　will　do。　If　it　does　not；　…　if　you　can't　see　him　or　if　you　do；　don't　hang　out　of　the　window　more　than　a　second。　　Duck　after　your　first　look。　　I　don't　want　to　be　caught　at　this　job　with　no　better　opportunity　for　escape　than　we　have　here。　　Can　you　remember　all　that？〃

George　pinched　his　arm　encouragingly；　and　Sweetwater；　with　an　amused　grunt；　softly　unlatched　the　window　and　pulled　it　wide　open。

A　fine　sleet　flew　in；　imperceptible　save　for　the　sensation　of　damp　it　gave；　and　the　slight　haze　it　diffused　through　the　air。　　Enlarged　by　this　haze；　the　building　they　were　set　to　watch　rose　in　magnified　proportions　at　their　left。　　The　yard　between；　piled　high　in　the　centre　with　snow…heaps　or　other　heaps　covered　with　snow；　could　not　have　been　more　than　forty　feet　square。　　The　window　from　which　they　peered；　was　half…way　down　this　yard；　so　that　a　comparatively　short　distance　separated　them　from　the　porch　where　George　had　been　told　to　look　for　the　man　he　was　expected　to　identify。　　All　was　dark　there　at　present；　but　he　could　hear　from　time　to　time　some　sounds　of　restless　movement；　as　the　guard　posted　inside　shifted　in　his　narrow　quarters；　or　struck　his　benumbed　feet　softly　together。

But　what　came　to　them　from　above　was　more　interesting　than　anything　to　be　heard　or　seen　below。　　A　man's　voice；　raised　to　a　wonderful　pitch　by　the　passion　of　oratory；　had　burst　the　barriers　of　the　closed　hall　in　that　towering　third　storey　and　was　carrying　its　tale　to　other　ears　than　those　within。　　Had　it　been　summer　and　the　windows　open；　both　George　an