g
into the spirit of the adventure. "Only you might tell me what's in
the wind, Owen," he added.

"I'll tell you afterwards, old chap," I promised.

And then we separated, agreeing to meet at eight at a well-known
restaurant which we often patronized.

That night, when the curtain fell at the Empire, we both went forth
and strolled along to St. James's Street to get a drink at the club.
The later we went forth on our nocturnal inquiry, the better.

I recollected that look of terror and astonishment on Forbes's
countenance when his gaze had met mine outside the bank--a look which
showed that he had believed me to be safely out of the way. He had
never dreamed I was still alive! Hence it seemed to me certain that
the pair of malefactors, having secured the money, would at once make
themselves scarce. How, I wondered, could they have known of Jack
Marlowe, unless they had watched us both in secret, as seemed most
likely.

That they would not return again to that house of horror in Bayswater
seemed certain.

Towards one o'clock we took a taxi off the stand outside White's and
drove to Porchester Terrace, alighting some distance from our
destination. We passed the constable strolling slowly in the opposite
direction, and when at last we gained the rusty iron gate we both
slipped inside, quietly and unobserved.

The street lamp in the vicinity lit up the front of the dingy house,
therefore fearing observation from any of the servants next door, we
moved noiselessly in the shadow of the bushes along the side of the
premises, past a small conservatory, many panes of glass of which were
broken, and so into the darkness of the small back garden, which
seemed knee-deep in grass and weeds, and which, from its position,
hemmed in by blank walls, could not be overlooked save from the house
itself.

All was silence. The scene was weird in the extreme. In the distance
could be heard the faint hum of the never-ceasing traffic of London.
Above, showed the dark windows of that grim old place wherein I had so
nearly lost my life.

"I want to examine this garden thoroughly," I whispered to Jack, and
then I switched on my torch and showed a light around. A tangle of
weeds and undergrowth was revealed--a tangle so great that to
penetrate it without the use of a bill-hook appeared impossible.

Still we went forward, examining everywhere with our powerful electric
lights.

"What will the people say?" laughed Jack. "They'll take