sadly. "Foxes always have a
second hole, and a way of using it."

He drew a key from his pocket, flung open the door, and made room for
his companion to bear his sister into the square lobby, which was
littered with wedges, the powder tin, pistols, keys, hammer, and the
other contents of the portmanteau standing in one corner, while in one
spot a quantity of sawdust seemed to have been spilled.

All was plainly seen by a bright reflected light which shone out from
the small glass bulb in the ceiling, shedding a strange glow, while the
odour of exploded powder struck on Chester's nostrils at once.

As soon as they were inside, Robert calmly drew the door close, and just
then Marion opened her eyes and looked wildly from one to the other.

"Where am I?" she said faintly.

"Where you have never been before, sis, but quite safe," replied her
brother. "There, don't look like that; the doctor and I are friends."

"Ah, I remember now," she cried wildly, and she struggled to her feet,
and seized her brother's arms. "Oh, Rob, what have I done?"

"The best thing you ever did in your life. I am glad it has come to an
end; but I must be off. I can't face the dock. Too great a coward, I
suppose, dear. There, God bless you! I hope you'll be very happy now."

"No, no, Rob! I cannot leave you."

"Eh?" he said, smiling bitterly, as he took out another key. "Yes; he
has promised me, dear, and he is as true as steel. There, I trust him,
and you feel as if you can. Take her somewhere, doctor, where the
police cannot find her out. She's innocent enough, but no one would
believe. Come, we may as well get right away, though I suppose it would
be hours before they could get through here. I never thought I should
some day be showing you our secrets, sis," he continued lightly;
"certainly not to Dr Chester. There we are."

He had thrust the small bright key he had held into the lock of the iron
door, and turned it, the bolts yielding easily in spite of the grit of
powder still left in; and clinging now to Chester's arm as the door was
swung open, Marion, at a word from her brother, stepped forward into the
iron-floored receptacle, then he followed and closed the door behind him
with a sharp metallic clang.

In the demoralisation which had ensued it had been undoubtedly sauve qui
peut, only one of the party seeming to think of anyone else. This was
the old professor, who hurried upstairs, unlocked the chamber door, and