in their rooms!" repeated Gatton.

Martin, raising his voice, obeyed him.

"What are your arrangements in the case of fire?" continued the
Inspector.

Several betousled heads were peeping down from the landing above but
no one spoke until Martin collected his ideas sufficiently to reply:

"There's buckets in the stables--and there's the well. Wilkins sleeps
over the stables--"

"Can you make him hear without going downstairs?"

"I can try," was the answer.

Martin walked to a window which lighted the landing, and threw it
widely open. Leaning out:

"Wilkins!" he roared--"Wilkins!"

"Aye, aye, boss!" came faintly from somewhere below.

"Tell him to stand by with fire-buckets, but not to leave the yard
without orders from me," directed Gatton.

Martin issued these instructions in a voice which must have been
audible at Leeways, and then stood scratching his head stupidly.

But indeed of all the bewildered company who gathered that night
beneath the roof of the Abbey Inn, I think I was the most nonplused of
all, and turning to Gatton:

"For God's sake tell me what it all means!" I said.

"It means," he answered, and even through his disguise I recognized
the old grim smile, "that only a match stood between you and eternity!
Even now, we cannot afford to sit down, but I am not anxious to pass
your door for a few minutes. As we both have much to say, let us find
a room where we can talk."

Accordingly we went up to a large empty room at the back of the inn.
Through the open doorway I could hear the excited voices of the entire
staff of the establishment, who had congregated in Martin's room
across the landing. Never in the history of the Abbey Inn had such
doings taken place.

"Perhaps," continued Gatton, "it will save time if you tell me exactly
what you have done first."

"Very well," I said; "but before I begin--when did you arrive?"

"An hour and a half after receiving your code telegram! I came by car.
The car is at Manton now."

"Why this disguise?"

"I will explain in a moment. But meanwhile--your own story."

At that, although consumed with impatience, I quickly outlined my
movements from the time of my arrival at Upper Crossleys, the
Inspector following me closely. The tale concluded:

"Now, Gatton!" I cried--"for heaven's sake tell me what it all means!"

"I will tell you all I know," he replied slowly. "In the first place I
had two reasons for suggesting the visit to Friar's Park. I