Chapter II Strange Instructions 

 Superintendent Dolan went quietly to the door; by a sort of natural understanding he had taken possession of affairs in the room. The rest of us waited. He opened the door a little way; and then with a gesture of manifest relief threw it wide, and a young man stepped in. A young man clean-shaven, tall and slight; with an eagle face and bright, quick eyes that seemed to take in everything around him at a glance. As he came in, the Superintendent held out his hand; the two men shook hands warmly. 

 “I came at once, sir, the moment I got your message. I am glad I still have your confidence.” 

 “That you’ll always have,” said the Superintendent heartily.  “I have not forgotten our old Bow Street days, and I never shall!”  Then, without a word of preliminary, he began to tell everything he knew up to the moment of the newcomer’s entry. Sergeant Daw asked a few questions—a very few—when it was necessary for his understanding of circumstances or the relative positions of persons; but as a rule Dolan, who knew his work thoroughly, forestalled every query, and explained all necessary matters as he went on. Sergeant Daw threw occasionally swift glances round him; now at one of us; now at the room or some part of it; now at the wounded man lying senseless on the sofa. 

 When the Superintendent had finished, the Sergeant turned to me and said: 

 “Perhaps you remember me, sir. I was with you in that Hoxton case.” 

 “I remember you very well,” I said as I held out my hand. The Superintendent spoke again: 

 “You understand, Sergeant Daw, that you are put in full charge of this case.” 

 “Under you I hope, sir,” he interrupted. The other shook his head and smiled as he said: 

 “It seems to me that this is a case that will take all a man’s time and his brains. I have other work to do; but I shall be more than interested, and if I can help in any possible way I shall be glad to do so!” 

 “All right, sir,” said the other, accepting his responsibility with a sort of modified salute; straightway he began his investigation. 

 First he came over to the Doctor and, having learned his name and address, asked him to write a full report 

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