es
down to Newcastle in a couple of hours; there'd have been no suspicion
about them, and no questions which he couldn't answer--he'd have gone
across to Hamburg with them himself. As for the man we know as Sir
Gilbert, you'll be hearing something presently from Mr. Elphinstone
yonder; but my impression is, as Maisie never saw or heard of him during
the night and day, that he got away after his wife last night--and with
those securities on him!"

"Then--who killed Hollins?" I said in sheer amazement. "Are there others
in at all this?"

"You may well ask that, lad," he responded, shaking his head. "Indeed,
though we're nearing it, I think we're not quite at the end of the lane,
and there'll be a queer turning or two in it, yet, before we get out. But
here's Murray come to an end of the present business."

Murray had finished his inspection of the cases and was helping Chisholm
to replace the lids. He, Chisholm, and the detective were exchanging
whispered remarks over this job; Mr. Elphinstone and Mr. Gavin Smeaton
were talking together in low voices near the door. Presently Murray
turned to us.

"We can do no more here, now, Mr. Lindsey," he said, "and I'm going to
lock this place up until daylight and leave a man in the gateway below,
on guard. But as to the next step--you haven't the least idea in your
head, Moneylaws, about Hollins's assailant?" he went on, turning to me.
"You heard and saw--nothing?"

"I've told you what I heard, Mr. Murray," I answered. "As to seeing
anything, how could I? The thing happened on the stair there, and I was
in this corner unlocking the inner door."

"It's as big a mystery as all the rest of it!" he muttered. "And it's
just convincing me there's more behind all this than we think for. And
one thing's certain--we can't search these grounds or the neighbourhood
until the light comes. But we can go round to the house."

He marched us all out at that, and himself locked up the room, leaving
the dead man with the chests of gold; and having stationed a constable in
the gateway of the old tower, he led us off in a body to the habited part
of the house. There were lights there in plenty, and a couple of
policemen at the door, and behind them a whole troop of servants in the
hall, half dressed, and open-mouthed with fright and curiosity.

CHAPTER XXXVII

THE DARK POOL

As I went into that house with the rest of them, I had two sudden
impressions. One was that here at my side