more of
what I saw or felt."

"Then perhaps, sir, later in the day you will tell me anything you may
chance to recollect."

"I shall be delighted, Adam. If your uncle has not returned by then,
I'll join you in the study after dinner, and we can resume this
interesting chat."

CHAPTER XVII--THE MYSTERY OF "THE GROVE"

That afternoon Adam decided to do a little exploring. As he passed
through the wood outside the gate of Diana's Grove, he thought he saw the
African's face for an instant. So he went deeper into the undergrowth,
and followed along parallel to the avenue to the house. He was glad that
there was no workman or servant about, for he did not care that any of
Lady Arabella's people should find him wandering about her grounds.
Taking advantage of the denseness of the trees, he came close to the
house and skirted round it. He was repaid for his trouble, for on the
far side of the house, close to where the rocky frontage of the cliff
fell away, he saw Oolanga crouched behind the irregular trunk of a great
oak. The man was so intent on watching someone, or something, that he
did not guard against being himself watched. This suited Adam, for he
could thus make scrutiny at will.

The thick wood, though the trees were mostly of small girth, threw a
heavy shadow, so that the steep declension, in front of which grew the
tree behind which the African lurked, was almost in darkness. Adam drew
as close as he could, and was amazed to see a patch of light on the
ground before him; when he realised what it was, he was determined, more
than ever to follow on his quest. The nigger had a dark lantern in his
hand, and was throwing the light down the steep incline. The glare
showed a series of stone steps, which ended in a low-lying heavy iron
door fixed against the side of the house. All the strange things he had
heard from Sir Nathaniel, and all those, little and big, which he had
himself noticed, crowded into his mind in a chaotic way. Instinctively
he took refuge behind a thick oak stem, and set himself down, to watch
what might occur.

After a short time it became apparent that the African was trying to find
out what was behind the heavy door. There was no way of looking in, for
the door fitted tight into the massive stone slabs. The only opportunity
for the entrance of light was through a small hole between the great
stones above the door. This hole was too high up to look through from
the ground