i was already deeply interested in his inquiry, for, though it was surrounded by none of the grim and strange features which were associated with the two crimes which i have already recorded, still, the nature of the case and the exalted station of his client gave it a character of its own. indeed, apart from the nature of the investigation which my friend had on hand, there was something in his masterly grasp of a situation, and his keen, incisive reasoning, which made it a pleasure to me to study his system of work, and to follow the quick, subtle methods by which he disentangled the most inextricable mysteries. so accustomed was i to his invariable success that the very possibility of his failing had ceased to enter into my head.