ty.

A little further investigation by the aid of lights soon showed, though,
that the supposed strong-room full of costly jewels and plate was only
the entrance to another place, one side forming a door.

This was attacked in turn, and after a long resistance was forced off by
the workmen, and once more the police advanced on the tip-toe of
expectation, to find themselves in a passage leading into a crypt-like
chamber which had evidently been carefully elaborated out of the old
cellarage, traces of which still remained. But there was no sign of
occupation, and for a few moments the police hesitated as to which of
the two closed doors they should attack. These were both of iron,
which, like those of the safe they had passed through, were evidently of
Belgian manufacture, from the name embossed thereon.

But the hesitation soon passed away, for while one proved to be locked
the other was unfastened, and after leaving a couple of men on guard,
the superintendent passed on, leading the way through the farther door.
Beyond was a dark passage cumbered with packing-cases, stacked on one
side from floor to ceiling, while on turning into another passage which
ran at right angles, they came upon a couple of heavy chests in the
course of being unpacked, a heap of old books standing upon the corner
of one.

They examined the place, the basement of a mansion with double kitchens,
servants' hall, pantry, and the like, and the cursory glance obtained
showed them that the crypt-like vaults through which they had passed
must be beneath the garden at the back of the house.

But after satisfying themselves that no one was there they ascended a
flight of stone steps, to find themselves in the book-encumbered hall of
the professor's home. Then followed a quick search through the chambers
of what proved to be an enormous library, room after room being covered
with dusty book-shelves, the home of spiders innumerable, while only one
chamber on the second floor proved to be a bedroom.

Still, there was no trace of those they sought, and a little further
examination showed that they must have passed out into the garden,
entered the stabling at the bottom, and gone out into the mews at the
back, and without doubt before the men were sent round to watch.

"No capture yet," said the superintendent, grimly; "but it seems to me,
Dick, that you'll get your promotion over this bit of mystery, for a
nice game of some kind has been carried on,