Evening star., 1938-01-09

possible to see the plane. An arChed opening
in the high wall now offered view OF rose
garden.
This should lead us somewhere" Trevvy
muttered.
We walked into the garden. 1t showed
every evidence of neglect. There was moss
grown sundial in the center. The many beds
of roses we're overrun with weeds. 1t was so
dark now that when presently, ascending
several steps by a fshpond, we came at last
to sight of the house, was not surprised to
see lights shining from several ground floor
windows.
Evidently somebody at home" said
Trevvy From the look of the place suspect
caretaker q. =. . Did you see that"
In the newly come darkness nodded. 1T
must have been an effect of reflection
There's no sunshine whatever it's out
of the question"
Trevvy stared from the terrace where we
stood at closed and curtained French win
dow Right and left of this were long, narrow.
uncurtained windows. And it was from these
as we had come up from the rose garden that
lights had shone out.
Someone turned the lights out as we came
on to the terrace"
1t was an odd situation, but one fully in
keeping with the general trend of de Treville's
life And as the thought crossed my mind:
ITO be forced down into the grounds of
house whose owner one doesn't know" said
de Treville. lis perhaps unusual; but for the
inhabitants to turn out all lights when one
approaches is the sort of thing which happens
only to me-"
We made our way round the angle of the
house, up steps and down steps, until we came
to the main entrance. The place in part was
old, but had been reconstructed and, l
thought, made smaller by some comparatively
recent owner. One of those glass doors pro-
tected by iron scrolwork confronted US. Be-
side this door there was bell push.
Trevvy rang several times. Dimly, some
where in the interior of the house, we could
hear the bell But ringing was of no avail.
II might have distrusted my own powers OF
observation. he said, but you agree with me
that that room overlooking the terrace was
lighted up when we arrived?"
II do
We returned to the scene of this mysterious
happening We tested the French window and
those outflung right and left of it. All we're
secure We peered in. But the room was so
dark that beyond the fact that it was long,
narrow apartment could make out little else.
Back to the window overlooking the rose
garden" said Trevvy. 1--WE have not tested
that"
We walked along the terrace. The sky now
was grimly ominous.
Its not clear to me-" said, what we
propose to do"
Personally" de Treville replied coldly.
Il propose to find out why the occupant of
this house declines to afford me an oppor-
tunity to apologize for alighting upon his
property" De Treville's reactions are some
times unpredictable.
The French window, which now we pro-
ceeded to examine, had curtains drawn behind
it - but, to my surprise, it proved to be un-
fastened. Trevvy pushed it open, drew back
the curtains and stepped into the room. fol-
lowed him.
Several explanations of the mystery had
presented themselves to my mind, nor, as
entered, could disguise from myself the fact
that our behavior was high-handed - indeed
that from the moment we stepped inside this
silent house we stepped outside the law Such
small matters never disturb my friends
serenity
Its frightfully dark in here" he said. 81
have no torch. Have you?"