After nearly two years' ordinary experience of the responsible and ill-paid duties of that vocation, I found myself employed on my first serious and terrible case of official inquiry--relating to nothing less than the crime of Murder.
The circumstances were these: I was then attached to a station in the northern district of London--which I beg permission not to mention more particularly.

On a certain Monday in the week, I took my turn of night duty.

Up to four in the morning, nothing occurred at the station-house out of the ordinary way.

It was then springtime, and, between the gas and the fire, the room became rather hot.

I went to the door to get a breath of fresh air--much to the surprise of our Inspector on duty, who was constitutionally a chilly man.