d from one to
the other.

"Have you been in since, Preenham?"

"No, sir. I went and got the candles, and lit all I could."

Capel was about to rush into the room, but he stopped on the threshold.

"Miss D'Enghien--Miss Lawrence--this is no place for you. Pray go back
to your rooms."

"Yes," said Katrine, slowly, "Mr Capel is right. Come, dear, with me."

She passed her arm round Lydia, and the two seemed to fade away into the
darkness, as Capel, Mr Girtle, Artis, and, lastly, the butler went into
the room.

CHAPTER NINE.

ANOTHER DISCOVERY.

It was precisely as the butler had said. There was the window open--a
window looking out on to some leads. And beyond them the low houses of
a mews which ran at the back. There, at a short distance from the bed,
was the Colonel's faithful servant, in a pool of blood, with a kukri--
one of those ugly curved Indian knives--clasped tightly in his hand.

"Dead!" said Mr Girtle; and then, rising quickly, he ran to the further
portal, drew back the curtain, and found the iron door closed.

"There has been a terrible struggle here," said Capel. "Look."

He pointed to where, plainly seen on the white counterpane that half
covered the heavy valance, there was the mark of a bloody hand that had
caught the quilt and dragged it a little down.

"Yes," said Mr Girtle, looking about at overturned chairs, a small
table driven out of its place, and a carriage clock swept off and lying
on the floor. "Yes, there has been a terrible struggle."

He looked at the dead man, and then in the direction of the strong
chamber.

Artis saw, and said maliciously:

"Murder must mean robbery."

"Impossible!" said the lawyer. "The door is shut. Stop. Let me see,"
and stooping, he thrust his hand inside the silken robe the old Indian
wore.

There was a dead silence as he searched hastily, and then drew out the
keys and chain.

"All safe," he cried; "see, here are the keys. They slip off and on
this spring swivel; the old man always wore them there. The key of that
door; the key of the iron chamber; the key of the steel chest.
Gentlemen, I shall remove the keys. Mr Capel, they are yours, now.
Take them."

"No," said Capel quietly. "Keep them, sir. Now, what do you make of
this? It seems to me that the murderer must have come in by this door,
and encountered Ramo, and, after the terrible struggle, have escaped by
the window."

"Exactly," said Mr Girtle.

"Unless," sai