Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III A QUESTION IN THE NIGHT I was stricken dumb at this end to the investigation, and half doubted the evidence of my eyes. "Well," said the policeman, with a sigh of relief, "there's nothing here." I suspected that his doubts of my sanity were returning. "Here is where it was done," I asserted stoutly, pointing to the spot where I had seen the struggling group from the window. "There were surely five or six men in it." The policeman turned his lantern on the spot. The rough pavement had taken no mark of the scuffle. "It's hard to make sure of things from above in this light," said the policeman, hinting once more his suspicion that I was confusing dreams with reality. "There was no mistaking that job," I said. "See here, the alley leads farther back. Bring your light." "Aisy, now," said the policeman. "I'll lead the way. Maybe you want one yourself, as your friend has set the fashion." A few paces farther the alley turned at a right angle to the north, yawning dark behind the grim and threatening buildings, and filled with noisome odors. We looked narrowly for a body, and then for traces that might give hint of the passage of a party. "Nothing here," said the policeman, as we came out on the other street. "Maybe they've carried him into one of these back-door dens, and maybe they whisked him into a hack here, and are a mile or two away by now." "But we must follow them. He may be only wounded and can be rescued. And these men can be caught." I was almost hysterical in my eagerness. "Aisy, aisy, now," said the policeman. "Go back to your room, now. That's the safest place for you, and you can't do nothin' at all out here. I'll report the case to the head office, an' we'll send out the alarm to the force. Now, here's your door. Just re...