ess, was still clamped into a socket which had been torn, screws and
all, from the inside casing.

Sliding my hands over the broken top panel I found that it had been
covered on its inner side by a piece of canvas; the screen on which that
shadow had been thrown--from within the room. There was no light there
now; there was no sound of motion within. The drip of the fog from the
eaves was the only break in the stillness.

"Worth?" I shouted, at last, and he answered me instantly, hallooing
from behind me, and to one side of the house. I could hear him running
and when he spoke it was close to my shoulder.

"Where are you, Jerry?"

"Where are you," I countered. "Or rather, where have you been?"

"Getting a bar to pry off these boards."

"A bar?" I echoed stupidly.

"A crowbar from the shed. These planks will have to come off to let us
in."

"The devil you say!" I was exasperated. "There's some one in here
now--or was a minute back. Show me the other way in."

I heard the ring of the steel bar as its end hit the hard graveled path.

"Some one in there? Jerry, you're seeing things."

"Sure I am," I agreed drily. "But you get me to that other door quick!"

"The only other door is locked. I tried it from the garage. You're
dreaming."

For reply, I ran up to the door and thrust my fist through the canvas,
ripping it away from its clumsy tacking.

"Who's in there?" I cried. "Answer me!"

Dead silence; then a click as Worth snapped on a flood of light from his
pocket torch, saying tolerantly, tiredly,

"I told you there was no one. There couldn't be."

"I tell you, Worth, there was. I saw the shadow on the square of that
canvas. Give me the torch."

I pushed the flashlight through the opening and played the light cone
about the room in a quick survey; then brought the circle of white glow
to rest upon one of the side walls; and my hand went down and back to
grip fingers about the butt of my revolver. There was, as Worth had
said, but one other door to this room; but more, there was apparently no
other exit; no windows, no breaks in the walls. My circle of light was
on this second door; and the very heart of that circle was a heavy steel
bolt on the door, the bar of which was firmly shot into the socket on
the frame. The only exit from that room, other than the door through
which I now leaned with pistol raised, was locked--bolted from the
inside!

Worth was crowding his big frame into the opening beside