AsTom，quakingaswithapalsy，passedoutatthegate，threewomencameflyingfromthehouseontheoppositesideofthelane。
Theyrushedbyhimandinatthegate，askinghimwhatthetroublewasthere，butnotwaitingforananswer。
Tomsaidtohimself，\"Thoseoldmaidswaitedtodress——theydidthesamethingthenightStevens’shouseburneddownnextdoor。\"
Inafewminuteshewasinthehauntedhouse。Helightedacandleandtookoffhisgirl—clothes。Therewasbloodonhimalldownhisleftside，andhisrighthandwasredwiththestainsoftheblood—soakednoteswhichhehascrushedinit;butotherwisehewasfreefromthissortofevidence。Hecleansedhishandonthestraw，andcleanedmostofthesmutfromhisface。Thenheburnedthemaleandfemaleattiretoashes，scatteredtheashes，andputonadisguiseproperforatramp。Heblewouthislight，wentbelow，andwassoonloafingdowntheriverroadwiththeintenttoborrowanduseoneofRoxy’sdevices。Hefoundacanoeandpaddleddowndownstream，settingthecanoeadriftasdawnapproached，andmakinghiswaybylandtothenextvillage，wherehekeptoutofsighttillatransientsteamercamealong，andthentookdeckpassageforSt。Louis。HewasillateaseDawson’sLandingwasbehindhim;thenhesaidtohimself，\"Allthedetectivesonearthcouldn’ttracemenow;there’snotavestigeofaclueleftintheworld;thathomicidewilltakeitsplacewiththepermanentmysteries，andpeoplewon’tgetdonetryingtoguessoutthesecretofitforfiftyyears。\"
InSt。Louis，nextmorning，hereadthisbrieftelegraminthepapers——datedatDawson’sLanding：