or. Barnes obeyed most
willingly, but their combined efforts still failed to move it.

"Well," said the Doctor, "my young friend, it looks as though we were
doomed, after all. In case we should fail to escape, when we are thus
unexpectedly hurried into the presence of the secretary of the other
world, in making your statement, I trust you will not forget that you
cannot blame me for the accident which curtails your earthly
existence. It was no fault of mine that you were in the passageway
above, nor could I foresee that we could not open this door."

This sacrilegious speech, made in a tone of voice which showed in what
contempt the speaker held the great mystery of life and death, chilled
young Barnes so that he shivered. It made him more than convinced that
this man was fully capable of committing the murder which had been
attributed to him. At the same time, as the Doctor appeared to have
abandoned the effort to escape, despair rendered Barnes more
courageous and sharpened his senses so that he could think for
himself. Freeing his hand from the other's grasp, he felt about until
he found the edge of the door, and rapidly searched for the hinges. In
a few moments a cry of gladness escaped from him.

"It is all right, Doctor. The hinges are on our side. We must pull the
door to open it, and not push it as we have been doing."

"Good!" said the Doctor. "I knew that. I was only trying you. You are
clever. And courageous. Too much so for me to run any risks." The last
words were spoken as though to himself. He continued: "Come. We must
get out of this before it is too late!" He opened the door, which
moved so easily that Barnes readily comprehended that the Doctor must
have held it firmly shut whilst the two had been trying to open it,
else his own shaking would have disclosed the fact that it opened
inward. Thus he saw that Dr. Medjora spoke truly, and had only been
submitting him to a test. He followed through the door, glad once more
to have hope before him, for had the Doctor intended to destroy him,
it would have been easy enough to shut the door, leaving him behind,
fastening it, as he did now, with a heavy bolt.

"There is little chance of our being followed," said the Doctor, as he
thus barred the way behind them, "but it is as well to be careful. And
now that we are safe, for this vault is fire-proof, I will let you see
where you are." In a moment the Doctor had found a match and lighted a
lamp, and Barnes g