Harry Blount, the Detective; Or, The Martin Mystery Solved

The finding of the body was reported to the police by one of the inmates of the house--a woman, at 1 A. M. She had come in late, as was customary with her, and had knocked at his door to ask for a match. Receiving no reply she turned the knob and entered. The light was still burning, and seeing at once he was dead she called some of the other tenants who notified the police. The body was not yet cold when they arrived, so that death must have occurred just prior to its discovery. The three other inmates of the house accounted satisfactorily for their movements that night, and the verdict of the coroner\'s jury, next day, was "suicide." Blount, who had been detailed to look into the case, was, of course, present at the inquest. So, also, was our friend Martin, and, as he stood out in bold relief among the inmates of the alley, he at once came under the observation of the detective, who approached him and opened a conversation in his quiet, unassuming way. "Rather odd case, sir!" he said. "If he had only waited a little while he would have gone naturally." "Yes--it would appear so," replied Martin, looking at him curiously. "Not interested I suppose--just dropped in through curiosity? Oh! I beg pardon! I thought I had seen you before--you are the gentleman who called at the office several times about some missing documents, supposed to have been stolen by an old thief named Golden. Hope you\'re not offended, sir! It\'s our business, you know, to know everybody at an affair like this."