there is no gate in the wall, we had to break it down
to get the engines in. There was a large crowd by this time, and we
had all the help we needed. By this time the whole house was flaming
like a bonfire. When we got the wall down the most part of the house
was gone, and the fire had caught the surrounding shrubs, so all we
could do was to halt on the edge of the mass and squirt water, in the
hope of putting out the flames. But, Lord bless you!" said the officer
with good-humored contempt, "you might as well have tried with a
child's squirt. As you see, sir, everything is gone within the wall.
Leastways, all but that big oak near the wall."

It was as the man said. House, trees, shrubs, even the grass had been
swept away by the fierce flames. Within the walls which had secluded
the place from the world was a blackened space covered with debris.
Where the house had stood was a mound of twisted iron girders, charred
beams and broken slates. And everywhere the wind was lifting the fine
gray ashes and scattering them abroad, as though in sorrow for the
destruction of the previous night. Jennings took all this in at a
glance. Policemen were on guard at the various gaps in the wall, as no
one was allowed to enter. But the detective, by virtue of his office,
walked across the bare expanse with the inspector, and trod under foot
the black ashes. There was nothing to be gained, however, by this
inspection. All that could be seen were the destroyed park and the
mound where the house had been. "What of the cellars?" asked Jennings.

"Well," said Inspector Twining genially, "I suppose there are cellars,
but there's nothing in them. The house was shut up for years by a
queer nobleman."

"By Lord Caranby," replied the detective. "I know. I suppose the
cellars are under that heap. I must get Lord Caranby to allow me to
clear it away."

"I expect that will be done, whether or no. Lord Caranby came down and
told one of our men that he intended to throw down the wall and let the
place as a building site. So when the building begins the heap will
soon be cleared away and the cellars laid bare. But there's nothing
there," said the inspector again.

"I am not so sure of that."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing. I have an idea," answered the detective, who did not wish to
tell the man how he now began to fancy that the factory for safety had
been placed in the cellars. "By the way, did this man who was arrested