Oh, I know; I was worrying my way through poor old

Ebor’s papers and things. I’m his executor, you know. Then I got weary

and came out for a whiff of air.” He spoke lightly and with perfect

naturalness. Obviously he was telling the truth. “I prefer specimens to

papers,” he laughed cheerily.

“I know, I know,” said Dr. Stephen, holding a lighted match for the

cigarette. His face wore an expression of content. The experiment had

been a complete success. The memory of the last two hours was wiped out

utterly. Laidlaw was already chatting gaily and easily about a dozen

other things that interested him. Together they went out into the

street, and at his door Dr. Stephen left him with a joke and a wry face

that made his friend laugh heartily.

“Don’t dine on the professor’s old papers by mistake,” he cried, as

he vanished down the street.

Dr. Laidlaw went up to his study at the top of the house. Half way

down he met his housekeeper, Mrs. Fewings. She was flustered and

excited, and her face was very red and perspiring.

“There’ve been burglars here,” she cried excitedly, “or something

funny! All your things is just any’ow, sir. I found everything all

about everywhere!” She was very confused. In this orderly and very

precise establishment it was unusual to find a thing out of place.

“Oh, my specimens!” cried the doctor, dashing up the rest of the

stairs at top speed. “Have they been touched or—”

He flew to the door of the laboratory. Mrs. Fewings panted up

heavily behind him.

“The labatry ain’t been touched,” she explained, breathlessly, “but

they smashed the libry clock and they’ve ‘ung your gold watch, sir, on

the skelinton’s hands. And the books that weren’t no value they flung

out er the window just like so much rubbish. They must have been wild

drunk, Dr. Laidlaw, sir!”

The young scientist made a hurried examination of the rooms. Nothing

of value was missing. He began to wonder what kind of burglars they

were. He looked up sharply at Mrs. Fewings standing in the doorway. For

a moment he seemed to cast about in his mind for something.

“Odd,” he said at length. “I only left here an hour ago and

everything was all right then.”

“Was it, sir? Yes, sir.” She glanced sharply at him.