outer door with one of his own, and switched on
the lights before leaving us.

"Now that's interesting," said Raffles, as soon as we were alone; "they
can come in and clean when he is out. What if he keeps his swag at the
bank? By Jove, that's an idea for him! I don't believe he's getting
rid of it; it's all lying low somewhere, if I'm not mistaken, and he's
not a fool."

While he spoke he was moving about the sitting-room, which was
charmingly furnished in the antique style, and making as many remarks
as though he were an auctioneer's clerk with an inventory to prepare
and a day to do it in, instead of a cracksman who might be surprised
in his crib at any moment.

"Chippendale of sorts, eh, Bunny? Not genuine, of course; but where
can you get genuine Chippendale now, and who knows it when they see
it? There's no merit in mere antiquity. Yet the way people pose on
the subject! If a thing's handsome and useful, and good
cabinet-making, it's good enough for me."

"Hadn't we better explore the whole place?" I suggested nervously. He
had not even bolted the outer door. Nor would he when I called his
attention to the omission.

"If Lord Ernest finds his rooms locked up he'll raise Cain," said
Raffles; "we must let him come in and lock up for himself before we
corner him. But he won't come yet; if he did it might be awkward, for
they'd tell him down below what I told them. A new staff comes on at
midnight. I discovered that the other night."

"Supposing he does come in before?"

"Well, he can't have us turned out without first seeing who we are, and
he won't try it on when I've had one word with him. Unless my
suspicions are unfounded, I mean."

"Isn't it about time to test them?"

"My good Bunny, what do you suppose I've been doing all this while? He
keeps nothing in here. There isn't a lock to the Chippendale that you
couldn't pick with a penknife, and not a loose board in the floor, for
I was treading for one before the boy left us. Chimney's no use in a
place like this where they keep them swept for you. Yes, I'm quite
ready to try his bedroom."

There was but a bathroom besides; no kitchen, no servant's room;
neither are necessary in King John's Mansions. I thought it as well to
put my head inside the bathroom while Raffles went into the bedroom,
for I was tormented by the horrible idea that the man might all this
time be concealed somewhere in the flat. But the bathroom blazed void