appened to notice it the other day
when he was passing, and he asked me to find out the exact purpose it
was intended for. We are bound to make some restrictions about wooden
buildings on account of the extra chance of their catching fire."

The idea of the District Surveyor being seriously perturbed over the
possibility of my being roasted alive struck me as rather improbable,
but I was careful not to give any impression of doubting the
statement.

"As a matter of fact," I said, "there is no chance of a tragedy
of that sort. I have taken the place to make a few experiments
in connection with photography. The stuff I am using is quite
uninflammable."

All the time I was speaking I was watching him carefully to see if
I could detect the least sign of his recognizing me. For any such
indication, however, we might have been utter strangers.

He accepted my falsehood as politely as I had received his.

"Well, in that case," he said, with a smile, "there is really no need
for me to bother you any further. I will tell the Surveyor that you
are a strictly law-abiding citizen. Meanwhile"--he stepped back and
again raised his hat--"let me apologize once more for having broken
into your place."

Whether there was any deliberate irony in his remark I was unable to
guess; his manner at all events gave no hint of it.

"You needn't apologize," I returned artlessly. "It was my own fault
for leaving the door open."

I thought I saw the faintest possible quiver at the corner of his
lips, but if so it was gone again at once.

"Yes," he said gravely. "You will find it safer to keep the place
locked up. Good-day, sir."

"Good-day," I replied, and turning deliberately away from him I
sauntered off towards the hut.

I did not look round until I had reached the door; and even then I
made a pretence of dropping my keys and stooping to pick them up. The
precaution, however, seemed a little superfluous. Mr. Latimer was some
thirty or forty yards away, walking inland across the marsh in the
direction of Tilbury. I couldn't help wondering whether he had noticed
the mast of the _Betty_, which was just visible in the distance,
sticking up demurely above the bank of the creek.

I stepped inside the hut--it was really little more than a hut--and
closed the door. The first impression I received was one of being back
in my prison cell. The only light in the place filtered in through a
tiny and very dirty window, which looked out in the d