iend," he whispered, "You must be sacrificed in the cause of
scientific criminal investigation."

He mounted the steps which led to the entrance hall. The steel-beaded
curtain still hung before the door almost brushing the mat as he had
seen it. He released the rabbit, and the startled beast, after a vain
attempt to escape back to the lawn, went with hesitating hop on to the
mat, and then, at a threatening gesture from T. B., pushed his nose to
the hanging curtain to penetrate his way to safety. Instantly as he
touched it there was a quick flicker of blue light, and the unfortunate
animal was hurled back past T. B. to the gravel path below. The
detective descended hastily and picked it up. It was quite dead. He felt
the singed hair about its head, and murmured a sympathetic "vale."

"As I suspected," he said in a low voice, "an electric death-trap for
anybody trying to get into the house that way. Now, Johnson."

The third man was busy pulling out a pair of rubber boots; he took from
his pocket a pair of thick rubber gloves, and made his way with
confidence up the steps. He leant down and tried to pull the mat from
its place, but that was impossible. He gathered up the beads cautiously
with his hands; he was free, by reason of his boots and his
hand-covering, from the danger of a shock, but he took good care that no
portion of the curtain touched any other part of his body. Very
cautiously he drew the bead "chick" aside, looping it back by means of
strong rubber bands, and then T. B. went forward. In the meantime he had
followed the other's example, and had drawn stout rubber goloshes over
his feet and had put on gloves of a similar material. The lock that he
had noticed earlier in the day was of a commonplace type; the only
danger was that the inmates had taken the precaution of bolting or
chaining the door, but apparently they were content with the protection
which their electric curtain might reasonably be expected to afford. The
door opened after a brief manipulation of keys, and T. B. stepped into
the hall. He listened, all his senses strained, for the sound of a
warning bell, but none came. Ela and the other man followed.

"Better remain in the hall," said T. B. "We shall have to chance the
guard not noticing what has happened to the curtain, anyway; perhaps he
will not be round for some time," he added, hopefully.

They made a quick scrutiny of the hall, and found no indication of
cables or of wires which wou