As a thief in the night

by R. Austin Freeman

He held out his hand and I grasped it silently and with a full heart. And the closer friendship that was inaugurated in that hand-clasp has endured through the passing years, ever more precious and more helpful.

The End

Transcriber’s Notes

This transcription follows the text of the first edition published by Dodd, Mead & Company in 1928. However, the following alterations have been made to correct what are believed to be unambiguous errors in the text:

• Three occurrences of mismatched quotation marks have been repaired.
• “plainsclothes” has been changed to “plainclothes” (Chapter III).
• “numbers of others” has been changed to “number of others” (Chapter VIII).
• “attracts” has been changed to “attract” (Chapter X).
• “less that” has been changed to “less than” (Chapter XVI).
• “thier” has been changed to “their” (Chapter XI).
• “quote practicable” has been changed to “quite practicable” (Chapter XVII).
• “the prisoner” has been changed to “the poisoner” (Chapter XVII).