without a bottom. Goes down through the
cliff to what is apparently the yard of the inn. It's like a shaft to
the mines at home. Wonder what's it for?"

"Secret passage, sir; see that basket and rope," and Carrick indicated a
huge car swinging in the gloom above their heads.

"That's how the Gray Man beat us to the castle without passing us on the
road."

"Right," agreed Carrick.

"We can't profit by it now, worse luck, but it may come in useful in a
pinch. Who knows? If we only had free use of our hands, now. Eh,
Carrick?"

"Right," reiterated his fellow captive.

"Well," said Carter, arising from his knees, "suppose we investigate the
rest of the main passage."

They turned again into the dark entry to be brought up this time by a
door which they would have also attempted to force had not the sound of
voices from the other side of the stout panels paralyzed their
intention and filled them with apprehension.

It was clearly a position where eavesdropping was not dishonorable. They
were prisoners, innocent of any moral offense, cast into jail without
being apprised of the nature of the charges against them. Here might be
an opportunity of gaining, at least, an insight into the character of
some of those hostile to them. A knowledge of the traits of one's judge
or jury is a material assistance to a sufficient defense, which no one
should neglect where an opportunity for the acquisition of such
information is honorably presented.

There were evidently two people in conversation in the region behind the
locked door. The voices were those of women. One, crisp and girlish, was
new to Carter. The other's made his heart bound hopefully. It was
Trusia's.

"Let us speak in French, Natalie," she was saying to her companion in
that language. "My maid need not understand all we talk about." Then she
continued in evident answer to some previous question, "His name is
Calvert Carter." There followed a delightful hesitancy, which sent a
thrill through the invisible auditor, while in a tone intended to be
judicious, Trusia completed her reply: "Yes, I think you would call him
handsome. Anyway, he's a gentleman. Any person could see that."

"But what has become of him?" inquired her companion. "I have asked my
father, and Tru, what sort of reply do you think he made? Mean thing."

"I don't know, dear. Probably teased."

"Exactly. He always does, no matter how serious the question may be. He
laughed and pinched my cheek,