Pagina 9 van 657

"Quite so! You have not observed. And yet you have seen. That is

just my point. Now, I know that there are seventeen steps,

because I have both seen and observed. By the way, since you are

interested in these little problems, and since you are good

enough to chronicle one or two of my trifling experiences, you

may be interested in this." He threw over a sheet of thick,

pink-tinted notepaper which had been lying open upon the table.

"It came by the last post," said he. "Read it aloud."

The note was undated, and without either signature or address.