ADVENTURE OF BILLY DURGIN, SLEUTH I spoke to Solon of Billy Durgin, whose peculiar, not to say mysterious, behavior I had been compelled to notice.

I had first observed him that afternoon as we passed the City Hotel.

Through the window of the little wash-room, where I saw that he was polishing a pair of shoes, he had winked at me from over his task, and then erected himself to make a puzzling gesture with one hand.

Again, while we stood dream-bound before the window of the corner drug store, he had sent me a low whistle from across the street, following this with another puzzling arm wave; whereat he had started toward us.

But instead of accosting me, as I had thought he meant to, he rushed by, with eyes rigidly ahead and his thin jaws grimly set.