“The author of ‘The Poisoned Waterbottle’ and other stories?”

“Yes.”

“Tales of crime?”

“You may call them so.”

“What do you know of crime?”

The question startled me. In the first place, it was an extraordinary one to ask under the circumstances, and in the next, it was not an easy one to answer.

“May I inquire,” I said, “why you put this question?”

“Because I wish to know.”

“For what purpose?”

“That you will discover presently.”