excavation.

"What do you think of it?" I inquired of my companion.

"Well, perhaps somebody has really been buried here--eh?" he said.
"Don't you think you ought to go and tell the police at once?"

I was silent, in bewilderment.

"My own opinion is, Owen, that if a serious attempt has been made upon
you, and you really suspect that that hole yonder was prepared to
receive you, then it is your duty to tell the police. Others may fall
into the trap," Jack added.

"Not here," I said. "The assassins will not return, never fear. They
know of their failure in my case, and by this time they are, in all
probability, out of the country."

"But surely we ought to examine this spot and ascertain whether the
remains of any one is concealed here!" exclaimed my old friend.

Yet I still hesitated, hesitated because I feared that any exposure
must implicate that sweet little girl who, though my friend, had so
ingeniously escaped me.

At the same moment, however, our ears both caught a slight movement
among the tangled shrubs under the wall at the extreme end of the
garden. Instantly we shut off our lamps, and stood motionless,
listening.

At first I believed it to be only the scrambling of a cat. But next
second Jack nudged my arm, and straining my eyes I saw a dark figure
moving stealthily along, half crouching so as to be less conspicuous,
but moving slowly towards that side of the house which was the only
exit.

Fearing discovery there, our examination being so thorough, the
intruder was slowly creeping off, endeavouring to escape observation.

For an instant I remained motionless, watching the dark, crouching
figure. Then, drawing my revolver, I made a dash straight in its
direction.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

WHAT THE POLICE KNEW

As I pushed my way through the tangle of weeds and undergrowth, Jack
followed closely at my heels.

The dark figure leapt away in an instant, and dashed round the corner
by the ruined conservatory, but I was too quick for him. I caught him
up when he gained the front of the house, and there, in the light of
the street-lamp, my eyes fell upon a strange-looking object.

He proved to be a ragged, hunchbacked youth, so deformed as to be
extremely ugly, both in face and figure. His hair, long and lank, hung
about his shoulders, while his dark eyes stood out in terror when I
ordered him to halt, and covered him with my shining weapon.

His was the most weird figure that I had seen for m