or Castle.
Then--then had followed the strange appearance of the master, and the
still stranger interview between him and Zuker.

Was the cave still there? Often and often a strong desire had seized
Paul to go there again, but he had resisted it. Now, however, as he
thought of all that had happened on the evening he went there, the
impulse grew so strong upon him that he could wrestle with it no longer.
He must respond to its call.

So, as one under some mighty spell, Paul passed from the garden, and was
soon on his way to Cranstead Common.

It was beginning to get dusk as he followed the trail along which he had
once followed in the footsteps of Mr. Weevil. After travelling some time
in the direction of the river, he came to the thickly-wooded part, where
the master had disappeared.

Searching amongst the brambles, he found the curious division which
marked the centre, and placing his hand beneath the bushes as before, he
was not long in finding the ring that was attached to the circular
opening. Raising it, he entered again the sloping tunnel cut in the
sandstone.

Though he had only been in that tunnel once before, he had travelled
along it so often in imagination since that it seemed to him he was on
familiar ground. He had hesitated when he first entered it. He knew not
whither it would lead him, what dangers might meet him on the way. He
hesitated no longer. Still he walked cautiously, with his hands before
him, like a blind man in the darkness, until it began to broaden. Once
he thought he heard footsteps behind him, and he came to a sudden pause.
Was some one really following him, or was it only the echo of his own
footsteps?

He listened attentively, but could hear nothing. It was as silent as the
tomb.

"My ears must have deceived me," he told himself, as he continued his
way.

Presently he came to that part of the tunnel where a faint film of light
penetrated into it, and again the fantastic shadows he had before seen
seemed to menace him at every footstep he took. The cave, then, was not
deserted. It was still inhabited by some one. Who? Zuker and
Brockman--the same tenants as before, or had some one else come into
possession?

Yes, there was the curtain, partly concealing the main entrance to the
cave. To reach it, he crawled on hands and knees as before, and peered
through the space between the curtain and the wall.

There was no anthracite fire burning this time. It was dimly lighted by
one