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THE MAN IN THE PASSAGE
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tion. Carmichael was provided with a revolver, chiefly ad terrorem, for he had no idea how to use it; Marryatt, true to medieval principle, was only armed with a niblick. Gordon took another revolver and an electric torch, and went back again with Reeves to the upper opening. When the panel had been pushed back, it needed but a little fumbling on the inner side to discover a latch. When this was lifted, they found that the wall opposite them yielded to the touch, and a whole section of the panelling turned on a vertical axis, the right side of it coming outwards into the room, the left vanishing into the passage. The work was of miraculous fineness, and when they shut the door again they had difficulty in seeing where the cracks came in the morticing of the old beams.

"Those priests were well hidden," said Gordon. "I imagine the people who hunted them out simply broke down all this stuff with hatchets. But the Secretary could hardly approve of that. Otherwise, I suppose we're very much in the position of the Sheriff's men."

"And the man inside is very much in the position of the priest."

"Except for one circumstance."

"Namely?"

"Guilt," said Gordon.

"Well, what happens next?"

"A little Dutch courage." Gordon helped himself to a liberal glass of neat whisky. "If I were Carmichael, you would have a little lecture at this

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