"It certainly is a most mysterious affair," I ejaculated again, glancing
around the place. "You ought at once to report it."
"No," cried my companion quickly. "The discovery must be yours. You
must report it, Mr. Urwin."
"Why?"
"Because, as I've already told you, I fear to do so on account of the
snake."
I smiled at his curious objection, but an instant later grew serious
because of the sharp and sudden ringing of an electric bell somewhere on
the ground floor. It was the bell my companion had heard when first
knocking at the door.
We both listened for a few moments while the ringing continued, until
with sudden resolve I dashed downstairs to ascertain where the bell was.
Without difficulty I found it, for there in the hall, revealed by the
gas-lamp we had lit, was a telephone instrument with its bell agitated
violently.
Without a second's delay I placed the receiver to my ear and gave the
usual signal--
"Hulloa! Hulloa?"
The whirr and clicking stopped, and a voice, squeaky as that of an
elderly person, said petulantly--
"I've been ringing up for an hour or more. What's wrong that you
haven't replied? You're at fifty-eight, aren't you?"
"Yes," I answered, recollecting that fifty-eight was the number of that
house. "Nothing is wrong. Why? Can't you be patient?"
"I felt uneasy," answered the mysterious voice apologetically. "I
thought there might possibly have been some hitch as you haven't rung
up."
"No," I responded. "None."
"Then of course it's all over?" inquired the voice. I started at this
strange query. This unknown inquirer was evidently in possession of the
truth, and believed himself to be talking to an accomplice. He knew of
the commission of the crime, therefore it occurred to me that by the
exercise of due caution I might be able to discover his identity.
"Yes," I answered, breathless in excitement.
"Both?" asked the voice.
"Both," I responded.
"Good. Then I shall see you at the place we arranged--eh?"
"Of course," I answered. "But when? I've forgotten."
"Forgotten!" echoed the squeaky voice in a tone of undisguised disgust.
"Take care, or you'll blunder yet. You're a confounded idiot. Why,
to-morrow at midday."
"I know I'm a fool," I replied. "But in the excitement it's quite
slipped my memory where you said I was to meet you."
Then, holding the receiver tremblingly to my ear, I listened with quick
heart-beating for the response of that mysterious, far distant voice
which squeaked so strangely, sounding thin and high-pitched, more like
that of a woman than of a man.
"You're a confounded fool to waste time like this if you're still at
fifty-eight," said the voice.
"You've said so before," I responded. "But where shall I meet you?"