The doctor stood stockstill, like a soldier at the word, Halt.

"And I'll get the handcuffs," said the other runner, searching his
coat-pockets.

The doctor bowed to him assentingly and forgivingly.

"Only oblige me with my hat, and I shall be quite ready for you," he
said--paused for one moment, then repeated the words, "Quite ready," in
a louder tone--and instantly disappeared through the floor!

I saw the two officers rush from opposite ends of the room to a great
opening in the middle of it. The trap-door on which the doctor had been
standing, and on which he had descended, closed up with a bang at the
same moment; and a friendly voice from the lower regions called out
gayly, "Good-by!"

The officers next made for the door of the room. It had been locked from
the other side. As they tore furiously at the handle, the roll of the
wheels of the doctor's gig sounded on the drive in front of the house;
and the friendly voice called out once more, "Good-by!"

I waited just long enough to see the baffled officers unbarring the
window shutters for the purpose of giving the alarm, before I closed the
peephole, and with a farewell look at the distorted face of my prostrate
enemy, Screw, left the room.

The doctor's study-door was open as I passed it on my way downstairs.
The locked writing-desk, which probably contained the only clew to
Alicia's retreat that I was likely to find, was in its usual place on
the table. There was no time to break it open on the spot. I rolled it
up in my apron, took it off bodily under my arm, and descended to the
iron door on the staircase. Just as I was within sight of it, it was
opened from the landing on the other side. I turned to run upstairs
again, when a familiar voice cried, "Stop!" and looking round, I beheld
Young File.

"All right!" he said. "Father's off with the governor in the gig, and
the runners in hiding outside are in full cry after them. If Bow Street
can get within pistol-shot of the blood mare, all I can say is, I give
Bow Street full leave to fire away with both barrels! Where's Screw?"

"Gagged by me in the casting-room."

"Well done, you! Got all your things, I see, under your arm? Wait two
seconds while I grab my money. Never mind the rumpus upstairs--there's
nobody outside to help them; and the gate's locked, if there was."

He darted past me up the stairs. I could hear the imprisoned officers
shouting for help from the top windows. Their reserve men mus