n
who removed that key?"

She laid her hand upon his chair. She took no notice of the other two.

"Come," she said, "there is something here I want you to listen to.
Come!"

CHAPTER XXXV

Mr. Fentolin, arrived outside on the stone front of the boat-house,
pointed the wheel of his chair towards the Hall. Hannah Cox, who kept by
his side, however, drew it gently towards the beach.

"Down here," she directed softly. "Bring your chair down the plank-way,
close to the water's edge."

"My good woman," Mr. Fentolin exclaimed furiously, "I am not in the
humour for this sort of thing! Lock up, Sarson, at once; I am in a hurry
to get back."

"But you will come just this little way," she continued, speaking
without any change of tone. "You see, the others are waiting, too. I
have been down to the village and fetched them up."

Mr. Fentolin followed her outstretched finger and gave a sudden start.
Standing at the edge of the sea were a dozen or twenty fishermen. They
were all muttering together and looking at the top of the boat-house. As
he realised the direction of their gaze, Mr. Fentolin's face underwent a
strange transformation. He seemed to shrink in his chair. He was ghastly
pale even to the lips. Slowly he turned his head. From a place in the
roof of the boat-house a tall support had appeared. On the top was a
swinging globe.

"What have you to do with that?" he asked in a low tone.

"I found it," she answered. "I felt that it was there. I have brought
them up with me to see it. I think that they want to ask you some
questions. But first, come and listen."

Mr. Fentolin shook her off. He looked around for Meekins.

"Meekins, stand by my chair," he ordered sharply. "Turn round; I wish to
go to the Hall. Drive this woman away."

Meekins came hurrying up, but almost at the same moment half a dozen of
the brown jerseyed fishermen detached themselves from the others. They
formed a little bodyguard around the bath-chair.

"What is the meaning of this?" Mr. Fentolin demanded, his voice shrill
with anger. "Didn't you hear what I said? This woman annoys me. Send her
away."

Not one of the fishermen answered a word or made the slightest movement
to obey him. One of them, a grey-bearded veteran, drew the chair a
little further down the planked way across the pebbles. Hannah Cox kept
close to its side. They came to a standstill only a few yards from where
the waves were breaking. She lifted her hand.

"Lis