Blind Corner

shots, had made at once for the junction to see what was there toward. There he had found Ellis and Job and the tanner and another he did not know. Ellis was raving about the escape of the Rolls and vowing most shocking vengeance against whosoever it was that had cut the ropes; and the four then appeared to be watching the road and the river, in observance of some design he could not comprehend. He had seen the two flashes from the woods, as also had they; and it was Job who had at once repeated the signal. Not long after that, the windows of the gallery had suddenly been illumined, to Hanbury’s horror and the great surprise of the thieves, who seemed too much dumbfounded to utter a word, though the tanner and his fellow let out at once a flood of excited talk. Then Hanbury had left them, to hasten in fear and trembling down to the water’s edge, where he had run into Mansel, himself hotfoot for the boat.

And there, when Mansel returned, he took up the tale.

“Rose Noble was in a boat, moored in midstream. I believe he was there all the time. In his eyes the Rolls was a plum, of which he would have been very glad: but our pithead was the very pie itself. So Ellis was given the job of taking the Rolls: but Rose Noble took on the business of locating and seizing the pithead.

“It was Punter, I imagine, that heard us, as we were sculling downstream, and gave the signal which Hanbury saw Job repeat.

“Rose Noble must have been beside us, whilst you, Chandos, went up and Rowley came down. But, being as shrewd as they make ’em, he held his hand.

“So much for speculation.

“I’ve had some shocks in my life, but the sight of those windows lighted hit me between the eyes.

“We made enough noise embarking to be heard for a furlong or more, but Ellis and Co., I suppose, had no ears to hear. There was no room for Rowley, but he laid hold of the painter and swam behind.

“We missed friend Bunch by inches. I suppose he had lost his direction, for he was sculling downstream. So we came to the shoot. When I saw this was shut, I decided to go for the trap as fast as we could.

“We dropped downstream and landed below the road of approach. I’m afraid we must have broken all Punter’s ‘marks,’ but that couldn’t be helped. Whilst I was forcing the door of the kitchen-hall, George and Rowley ran to the well for rope. They were back with a coil and a blanket before Bell and I had withdrawn the second slab.

“When we were down, we could hear no sound at all. The light we had seen was gone, and I don’t mind admitting that I was deeply concerned. Now a torch always makes you a target; yet I felt I must have light: so I sent Bell off for the searchlight without more ado.

“What then happened you know. But for your warning, Chandos, Rose Noble must have shot me dead.

“As it was, the tables were turned.

“Hanbury sat down in the ramp with the searchlight between his knees: and I took my stand behind him, ready to fire.

“I fancy Rose Noble knew that the game was up.

“To bring us within his range, he was bound to enter the beam: and the moment he entered the beam: he would be certainly blinded and almost certainly shot.

“By way of rubbing this in, I audibly requested Hanbury to advance a couple of feet.

“A moment later I heard him go down the shoot.”

Whilst we were eating some supper, I told my tale over again: but, when Hanbury and I would have discussed the future, Mansel checked us with a yawn.

Then he laughed.

“ ‘Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.’ Rose Noble has gone far enough towards murdering sleep. Don’t let us finish it off.”

Then he told Bell to lay his bed, when he made it, across the flap of the shoot.

“I don’t see how they can lift it,” he added slowly: “but tonight has shown me that I don’t know a risk when I see one, so from now on I’m going to turn every stone.”

And then and there I happened to look at my watch. At first I made sure it had stopped, but, when I had checked it with Hanbury’s, I found it was telling the time. This was five minutes to twelve. And since we had been at supper for half an hour, my passage with Rose Noble cannot have taken up more than ten or twelve minutes of time. And that, but for its proof, I never would have believed.

Soon the lights were put out, and we lay down to take our rest: but for an hour or more I could not slumber for thinking of those ten or twelve minutes and how close to death I had come.

And here let me say I was sorry for Rose Noble: for, unconscionable villain though he was, he deserved to have won that trick. To enter the gallery, as he did, was a great accomplishment, and, but for the failure of his torch, he must, I think, have brought us all to our knees. Yet, all he got for his valour was a broken head.

VIII

The Race for the Chamber

The next morning we held a short council.

The system of reliefs, which had served us so long and so well, was now a thing of the past: and we were all agreed that, once we had closed our bases, except to communicate with Carson or to go out as a spy, no one must leave the dungeon until the treasure was won.

That the stranger whom Hanbury had seen was the tanner’s brother we had no doubt, and, to judge from the fellow’s demeanour, so far as we were concerned, the two were at one with the