…that I could stand among them without being seen by any one from a distance I came on the round at nine o’clock, and on arriving at the house I kept an eye on, was not a little surprised to find the shutters of the front sitting-room open, the blinds up, and the table laid for dinner. This rather astonished me, as we had received no intimation at the police station that the family were back. The room looked so warm and cosy, and the good things on the table so extremely appetising, that I could not refrain from stopping for what I intended should be a few seconds and looking at them.”Now I don’t suppose, sir, for one minute that many members of the force take much interest in table-laying, but with me it was different. My wife had formerly been a cook in good families in the…