s around
intact. By accident more than anything else Berrington had stumbled on
the secret. The pressure of a foot on the curb had set some hidden lever
in motion; the clever machinery was doing the rest.

Standing in the fireplace Berrington watched for the effect. The floor
sank away as if working on a pivot; it came around with the other side
up, and on the other side was a carpet quite similar to the first in
pattern. There was also another table which came up on a swinging
balance so that everything on it would not be disturbed.

"Well, this is a pretty fine Arabian Nights' form of entertainment,"
Berrington muttered. "I wonder if I can keep the thing half suspended
like that whilst I examine the vault beneath. I suppose if I push the
lever half back it will remain stationary. That's it!" The lever being
pushed half back caused the machinery to lock so that the floor was all
on the slant. There was a kind of space below which appeared to be paved
and bricked like a well. Into this the full rays of the electric light
shone. It was easy to jump down there and examine the place, and
Berrington proceeded to do so.

So far as he could see there was a heap of old clothes huddled together
in a corner. In an idle way Berrington turned them over. A collar fell
out from the rest and Berrington took it up--a white collar that had
been worn for some little time. Berrington started as his eye fell on
the name plainly set out in marking ink.

"Great Scott," he cried. "Why it is one of Sir Charles Darryll's!"

CHAPTER XXXII

Berrington was at a loss to know whether to be pleased or not at his
discovery. It might prove to be an important clue, on the other hand it
might point to more violence than Berrington had anticipated. It was not
an old collar, as Berrington could see by the date of it; apparently it
had only been worn once, for there was no laundry mark upon it, though
it was dirty, more dirty than a fastidious man like Sir Charles would
have used.

There was absolutely nothing further to be seen in the vault, so
Berrington climbed thoughtfully out of it again. He readjusted the
floor, for he had no wish for his handiwork to remain. He would wait now
for Beatrice to emerge and see her safely on her way home. A little
later on, perhaps, and he would have a great deal of useful information
to impart to Inspector Field.

He opened the door of the dining-room and listened. It seemed to him
that the voices in t