ad fallen, and that the click which they had
heard had been the catch with which it had swung into its rightful
position.

"I--I think something has fastened the grating," she said faintly. "I
can't make it move. We shan't be able to get back this way."

"Oh, what nonsense! Let me come and try," said Rex impatiently, but the
passage was so narrow at this point that it was impossible for him to
pass, and he had to content himself with directing Norah's efforts.
"I'll hold the lantern; look up and down and see if you can find the
fastening. Push upwards! Put your fingers in the holes, and tug with
all your might. ... Try it the other way. ... Kick it with your feet!"

Norah worked with all her strength--and she was a strong, well-grown
girl, with no small muscular power--but the grating stood firm as a
rock, and resisted all her efforts. "It's no use, Rex," she panted
desperately; and there was silence for a few moments, broken by a sound
which was strangely like the beating of two anxious hearts.

"Well, we shall just have to go on then, that's all," said Rex shortly.
"A passage is bound to lead somewhere, I suppose. The worst that can
happen is that we may have a walk home, and you couldn't come to much
harm in that coat!"

"Oh no! I shall be all right," said Norah bravely. For a few moments
she had been horribly frightened, but Rex's matter-of-fact speech had
restored her confidence in his leadership. Of course the passage must
have an outlet. She considered where they would come out, and even
smiled faintly to herself at the thought of the comical figure which she
would cut, striding through the lanes in the squire's old yellow
mackintosh. She was determined to let Rex see that though she was only
a girl, she could be as brave as any boy; but it was difficult to keep
up her spirits during the next ten minutes, for the passage seemed to
grow narrower all the time, while the air was close and heavy. A long
time seemed to pass while they groped their way forward, then suddenly
Rex's stick struck against some obstacle directly in his path, and he
stopped short.

"What is it?" cried Norah fearfully. It seemed an endless time to the
poor child before he answered, in a voice so strained and hoarse as to
be hardly recognisable.

"The passage is blocked. It is walled up. We cannot get any further!"
Rex lifted the lantern as he spoke and looked anxiously into the girl's
face, but Norah said nothing. I