reater soldier than Wellington. My mother often heard
my grand-aunt say so."

"I notice that there are no revolvers or pistols among the weapons on
the walls," said Colwyn.

"We never had a revolver," replied Phil.

"There are a pair of horse pistols in that case," said Musard, pointing
to an oblong mahogany box with brass corners, resting on a stand in a
niche of the wall. He crossed over to the box and fumbled with the brass
snibs, but was unable to open it. "The case is locked," he said.

"Perhaps it is only jammed," suggested Phil.

"Oh, no, it is locked fast enough. Do you understand anything about
locks, Mr. Colwyn?"

"You will have to break it open if you have lost the key," said Colwyn,
after glancing at the box. "It is an obsolete type of lock."

"I should have liked to show you those pistols," said Musard. "They
carry as true as a rifle up to fifty yards. Their only drawback is that
they are a bit clumsy, and have a heavy recoil."

"I wonder where the key is?" remarked Miss Heredith. "I must ask Tufnell
about it."

"Will you tell me where the revolver practice took place that
afternoon?" said Colwyn, turning to Phil.

"They were firing from behind the bagatelle board at a target fixed over
there," said Phil, pointing to the far wall.

"Who proposed the game?"

"Nepcote. It was a very wet afternoon, and everybody had to stay
indoors. He suggested after tea that it would be a good way of killing
the time before dinner. Several of the men and two or three of the girls
thought it a capital idea, and a sweepstake was arranged. They asked me
for a revolver, but I told them we had not one. One of the officers
offered his army revolver, but that was objected to as too heavy and
dangerous for indoor shooting. Then Nepcote said that he had a light
revolver in his bag, and he went upstairs to get it. He came downstairs
with it in his hand, and those who were taking part in the sport went
downstairs to the gun-room. I went with them for a while, but I did not
stay long."

"Captain Nepcote's revolver is not an army weapon?"

"Oh, no. It is a very small and slight weapon, nickel-plated, with six
chambers. It is so light as to resemble a toy."

"With a correspondingly light report, I presume. The sound of the target
practice would not be heard upstairs?"

"It would be an exceedingly loud report that penetrated to the upper
regions through that door," interjected Musard, pointing to the oak door
with iron