. Bower,' said Logan. 'Nobody need
sit up for us; you must be terribly fatigued.'

'You wunna forget to rake out the ha' fire, my lord?' said the old lady,
'I wush your Lordship a sound sleep, and you, sir,' so she curtsied and
went, Logan unlocking the door.

'And I was in London this morning!' said Merton, drawing a long breath.

'You're over Tweed, now, old man,' answered Logan, with patriotic
satisfaction.

'Don't go yet,' said Merton. 'You examined the carpet of the room; no
traces there of these odd muffled foot-coverings you found in the snow?'

'Not a trace of any kind. The salt was spilt, some of it lay on the
floor. The plate was not broken.'

'If they came in, it would be barefoot,' said Merton.

'Of course the police left traces of official boots,' said Logan. 'Where
are they now--the policemen, I mean?'

'Two are to sleep in the kitchen.'

'They found out nothing?'

'Of course not.'

'Let me look at the hole in the wall.' Merton climbed on to the bed and
entered the hole. It was about six feet long by four wide. Stones had
fallen in, at the back, and had closed the passage in a rough way, indeed
what extent of the floor of the passage existed was huddled with stones.
Merton examined the sides of the passage, which were mere rubble.

'Have you looked at the floor beneath those fallen stones?' Merton asked.

'No, by Jove, I never thought of that,' said Logan.

'How could they have been stirred without the old woman hearing the
noise?'

'How do you know they were there before the marquis's death?' asked
Merton, adding, 'this hole was not swept and dusted regularly. Either
the entrance is beneath me, or--"the Enemy had power"--as Mrs. Bower
says.'

'You must be right,' said Logan. 'I'll have the stones removed
to-morrow. The thing is clear. The passage leads to somewhere outside
of the house. There's an abandoned coal mine hard by, on the east.
Nothing can be simpler.'

'When once you see it,' said Merton.

'Come and have a whisky and soda,' said Logan.

III. A Romance of Bradshaw

Merton slept very well in the turret room. He was aroused early by
noises which he interpreted as caused by the arrival of the London
detectives. But he only turned round, like the sluggard, and slumbered
till Logan aroused him at eight o'clock. He descended about a quarter to
nine, breakfast was at nine, and he found Logan looking much disturbed.

'They don't waste time,' said Logan,