m going to put this candle in your room and then
you and I are going to run."

"Run?" I cried.

"Exactly. Run for our lives! Preferably upstairs. Is there any vacant
room above from which we can look out in the same direction as from
your window?"

"The room above is vacant," I replied, "and probably we shall find the
door unlocked."

"We'll risk that, then," said Gatton. "You might start and lead the
way."

"Can I use my electric torch?" I asked.

"On the stairs," replied Gatton; "but you must extinguish it when we
enter the room above."

With that he thrust open the door of my bedroom, ran in and ran out
again, banging the door behind him as though pursued by devils!

Then the pair of us were racing up the stairs madly for the room
above, I vaguely wondering if my companion had taken leave of his
senses. Yet of the verity of the peril which he dreaded came speedy
confirmation.

At the very moment that my hand touched the knob of the door above,
and ere I could open it, the whole fabric of the Abbey Inn was
convulsed--the floor rocked beneath my feet; and there ensued the
sound of a deafening explosion from the room below! An echo, or what
sounded like an echo, sharp and staccato, came from the distant
hills!

CHAPTER XX

GATTON'S STORY

"It's no good going in now," said Gatton, in a weary voice; "in fact
it might be dangerous. We have to consider the possibility of fire,
however," he added.

Voices of sleepers awakened and cries of inquiry sounded now from all
over the inn; for naturally the household had been aroused by the
tremendous noise of the explosion. For my own part I was altogether
too dazed to conjecture what had happened. But that Gatton had saved
me from some deadly peril I was well convinced. Stirrings and the
noise of footsteps came from an adjoining room, and presently in his
night attire Martin appeared, very bemused.

"Mr. Addison," he began, and stared from me to my companion.

"Let no one leave their rooms," said Gatton decisively, "until I give
them permission."

"Eh," began Martin heavily.

"I am a police officer," added Gatton; "and you will all do as I
direct. Does any one sleep on the same floor as Mr. Addison?"

"No, sir," replied Martin, who was not yet more than half awake, but
who nevertheless had been impressed by the Inspector's authoritative
manner.

Sounds of footsteps from the floor above now became audible,
whereupon:

"Order every one to remain