cian that he was, he was literally aghast when I
told him my story. He explained to me that a man placed in the position
in which I was when the floor began to move would by means of
centrifugal force suffer from enormous congestion of the brain. In fact,
the revolving floor would induce an artificial condition of apoplexy. If
the victim were drugged or even only sleeping heavily, and the floor
began to move slowly, insensibility would almost immediately be induced,
which would soon pass into coma and death, and a post-mortem examination
some hours afterwards would show no cause for death, as the brain would
appear perfectly healthy, the blood having again left it.

From the presence of Dr. Miles Gordon, Edgcombe and I went to Scotland
Yard, and the whole affair was put into the hands of the London
detective force. With the clue which I had almost sacrificed my life to
furnish, they quickly did the rest. Wentworth was arrested, and under
pressure was induced to make a full confession, but old Bindloss had
already told me the gist of the story. Wentworth's father had owned the
mill, had got into trouble with the law, and changed his name. In fact,
he had spent five years in penal servitude. He then went to Australia
and made money. He died when his son was a young man. This youth
inherited all the father's vices. He came home, visited the mill, and,
being of a mechanical turn of mind, invented the revolving floor. He
changed the mill into an inn, put Bindloss, one of his "pals," into
possession with the full intention of murdering unwary travellers from
time to time for their money.

The police, however, wanted him for a forged bill, and he thought it
best to fly. Bindloss was left in full possession. Worried by Wentworth,
who had him in his power for a grave crime committed years ago, he
himself on two occasions murdered a victim in the circular room.
Meanwhile several unexpected deaths had taken place in the older branch
of the Wentworth family, and Archibald Wentworth alone stood between his
cousin and the great estates. Wentworth came home, and with the aid of
Bindloss got Archibald into his power. The young artist slept in the
fatal room, and his death was the result. At this moment Wentworth and
Bindloss are committed for trial at the Old Bailey, and there is no
doubt what the result will be.

The ghost mystery in connection with the Castle Inn has, of course, been
explained away for ever.

II

THE WARD