Part 47 (1/2)

”By George! you've got hold of a case this time, my lad,” cried the superintendent; ”but it's an attelary This isn't a way out; it's the principal plate-closet, and they've been trying to get it open, and failed Haes, pistols, dark lantern smashed, tin of powder, and es have been Powder s here They must have tried to blast the door open Out, all of you; they're hiding soot away”

The iven the alarm, and he had struck a fresh ht, and was stooping down to sweep away so, dick,” cried the superintendent ”What have you got there?”

”Look, sir,” said theout a handful of the sawdust he had scraped up ”There's a bottle yonder that's had port wine in it, but this looks to me like blood”

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE

TOM TIDDLER'S GROUND

”Blood of the grape!” cried the superintendent, conteentleo down to the docks and see the floors there By Jingo! but it is blood!”

More of the sawdust was scraped aside, and the truth was plain enough; a broad patch had lain there, and the granulated wood had been thrown over to soak it up

But the constable was not satisfied yet; he kept peering about, made his way to the iron door, and then dropped upon his knees

”Here you are, sir,” he cried ”They've put the body in here, it seee There's been ht, Joe,” cried the superintendent, sharply; ”but where are the ain”

Every nook and corner of the basement was examined without result, and then the rest of the house was carefully gone over once more, but the place proved to be empty, and the superintendent returned to where his sentry was on duty

”Made anything out, sir?”

”No”

”What about the roof? Must be a trap, and they've got through there”

”There is a trap, my lad, but the cobwebs over it show that it can't have been opened to-day”

”What about the cellar, sir?”

”I have searched all but the wine cellars, and we can't break in there

I've sent orders to find out who lives here and telegraph to the faetting this iron door open?”

”No, I sha'n't wait for that”

”That's right, sir They've killed the poor lady I saw, I' in there That must be a bit of her dress”

There was no further hesitation Suitable workreat iron door was drilled and prised off, the police stepping forward at once to raise the body they expected to find, and then standing du that there were a couple of shelves upon one side The rest of the iron closet was perfectly ehts soon showed, though, that the supposed strong-room full of costly jewels and plate was only the entrance to another place, one side for resistance was forced off by the workmen, and once more the police advanced on the tip-toe of expectation, to find the into a crypt-like chamber which had evidently been carefully elaborated out of the old cellarage, traces of which still ren of occupation, and for a few moments the police hesitated as to which of the two closed doors they should attack These were both of iron, which, like those of the safe they had passed through, were evidently of Belgian manufacture, from the name embossed thereon

But the hesitation soon passed away, for while one proved to be locked the other was unfastened, and after leaving a couple ofthe way through the farther door

Beyond was a dark passage cu-cases, stacked on one side froe which ran at right angles, they ca unpacked, a heap of old books standing upon the corner of one