e. I don't know when
I have felt so nervous. But I see that you have made a discovery,
Colonel Berrington. What is it?"

"It seems to me that I have made more than one," Berrington said. "In
the first place my suspicion that the body of Sir Charles Darryll was
brought here has been confirmed. To begin with, I have got to the bottom
of that mysterious dining-room business. Come this way and I will show
you. Bentwood and that officer of yours had better stay here for the
moment."

"Anything that I can do for you, gentlemen," Bentwood said meekly. "Any
information that lies in my power. You have only to command me, and I
will respond."

"Presently," Field said contemptuously. "We will question you later on.
Then you shall tell me all about that secret Eastern drug that you
understand so well, and what effect it is likely to have on a sleeping
man."

Bentwood gave a gasp, and his face grew livid. It was evident that Field
had struck and tapped a mine that the doctor had considered to be hidden
from everybody. Then Bentwood sat down moodily and looked into the fire.

Berrington led the way into the dining-room, where he proceeded to
explain everything in relation to the room under the floor and the vault
in connection therewith. Field was particularly interested. All this
worked out beautifully with his theory.

"I expect the body was concealed here," he said. "The thing has been
well worked out. But do you suppose that Sartoris went to all this
trouble and expense for the simple reason----"

"He didn't," Berrington explained. "Miss Sartoris, or Miss Grey as I
prefer to call her, told me all about that. The house was taken four
years ago and occupied by an American electrical engineer whom Sartoris
knew quite well. It was he who put in all these dodges. When he died,
Sartoris took the place, doubtless feeling that he might be able to use
the mysteries here to good effect. I don't suppose at that time that he
knew anything about the full value of Sir Charles Darryll's concessions.
But once he had to take action, then this room came in very usefully."

"Do you know why they brought the body here?" Field asked.

"Yes, I have a pretty good idea on that score. Sir Charles had certain
papers in his room in the _Royal Palace Hotel_, and these people wanted
to gain possession of them. The robbery was fixed to take place on the
night of that dinner party. Mind you, Richford did not know anything
about that, because Sartori