ed
wakefulness. He sat up in bed, listening with strained ears, feeling for
the box of matches at his bedside. He found them, and endeavoured to
strike a light. But the matches were war matches, and one after another
broke off in his hand against the side of the box. He tried holding the
next close to the head, but the head flew off. With a muttered
malediction on British manufacturers, Colwyn struck several more in
rapid succession before he succeeded in lighting the candle at his
bedside. He got quietly out of bed, and, leaving the candle on the
table, opened his door noiselessly and looked out into the passage.

He had been put to sleep in a small bedroom in the deserted upstairs
wing where the murder had been committed. His room was opposite the
lumber room, which was three doors away from the room in which the body
of the dead man lay. When the question of accommodation for
Superintendent Galloway and himself had been discussed, the former had
chosen to have a bed made up in the bar parlour downstairs as more
comfortable and snug than any of the bedrooms upstairs, but Colwyn had
consented to sleep in the deserted wing. The innkeeper, who had lighted
him upstairs, had apologised for the humble room and scanty furniture,
but Colwyn had laughingly accepted the shortcomings of the room as a
point of no importance, and had stood at his door for some moments
watching a queer effect in shadows caused by the innkeeper's candle
throwing gigantic wavering outlines of his gaunt retreating figure on
the bare stone wall as he went down the side passage to his own bedroom.

Colwyn, looking out into the passage, could hear or see nothing to
account for the sound that had startled him into wakefulness. The candle
by his bedside gave a feeble glimmer which did not reach to the door,
and the passage was as dark and silent as the interior of a vault. The
stillness and blackness seemed to float into the bedroom like a cloud.
But he was certain he had not been mistaken. A door had been unlocked
somewhere in the darkness, and it had been unlocked by human hands. Who
had come to that deserted wing of the inn in the small hours, and on
what business? He decided to explore the passage and find out.

He left the door of his room partly open while he donned a few articles
of clothing, and pulled a pair of slippers on his feet. He glanced at
his watch, and noted with surprise that it wanted but a few minutes to
three o'clock. He extinguishe