butifyouwilldoasthiscommands，theywillbearrestedwithoutbloodshedandwithoutshametooneyouknow。
Herfacewhileshereadtheselines，wasastudy，butIdarednotsoftentowardit。Droppingthepaperfromherhand，shegavemeoneinquiringlook。ButIpointeddeterminedlytothewordslyingupwardonthefloor，andwouldlistentonoappeal。Myresolvehaditseffect。Bowingherheadwithasorrowfulgesture，shelaidherhandonherheart，lookedupandglidedfromtheroom。Itookupthatpaperandtoreitintobits。
AndnowforthefirsttimesinceIhadbeeninthehouse，Iclosedthedoorofmyroom。Ihadaparttoperformthatrenderedthedroppingofmydisguiseindispensable。TheoldFrenchartisthadfinishedhiswork，andhenceforthmustmergeintoQ。thedetective。Shortlybeforetwoo\'clockmyassistantsbegantoarrive。First，Mr。Gryceappearedonthesceneandwasstowedawayinalargeroomontheothersideofmine。Next，twoofthemostagile，aswellasmuscularmenintheforcewho，thankstohavingtakenofftheirshoesinthelowerhall，gainedthesamerefugewithoutawakeningthesuspicionsofthosewewereanxioustosurprise。Lastly，thelandladywhowentintotheclosettowhichIhadbiddenMrs。BlakeretireafterleavinginmyroomthearticlesIhadmentioned。
AllwasnowreadyandwaitingforthedepartureoftheyoungestSchoenmaker。Wouldhedisappointusandremainathomethatday?Hadanysuspicionsbeenawakenedinthestolidbreastsofthesemen，thatwouldservetomakethemmorewatchfulthanusualagainstrunningunnecessaryrisks?No；atornearthetimefortheclocktostriketwo，theirdooropenedandthetreadofalumberingfootwasheardinthehall。Onitcame，passingmyroomwitharudestampingthatgraduallygrewlessdistinctasthehardyroughwentdownthecorridor，brushingthewallbehindwhichMr。Gryceandhismenlayconcealedwithhisthickcane，andevenstoppingtolighthispipeinfrontofthesmallapartmentwherecoweredourgoodlandladywithhereternalbasketofmendinginherlap。
Atlengthallwasquiet，andthrowingopenmydoor，Iwithdrewintoasmallclosetconnectedwithmyroom，towaitwithindescribableimpatience，theappearanceofMrs。Blake。Shecameinaveryfewminutes，remainedforaninstant，anddeparted，leavingbehindherasIhadrequested，theskirtandshawlinwhichshehadleftherfather\'spresence。Iatonceenduedmyselfinthesearticlesofapparel——takingcaretodrawtheshawlwellovermyhead——andwithapockethandkerchieftomyface，aproceedingmadenaturalenoughbythesneezewhichatthatverymomentItookcareshouldassailme