“Yes; part of the old suite,” said Guest, answering, as it were, against his will.
“I’ll trouble you to take me in there for a moment, please,” said the man decisively.
Stratton drew a deep breath, and without a word led the way out into the passage and round to his own door.
Chapter Thirty Seven.
Run to Earth.
“What the dickens does it all mean?” thought Guest wonderingly, as he followed into Stratton’s chambers, with a strange feeling of expectancy exciting him. Something was going to happen, he felt sure, and that something would be connected with his friend. And now he began to regret bitterly having urged on the quest. It had had the effect of rousing Stratton for the moment, but he looked horrible now, and Guest asked himself again, what did it mean?
The sergeant looked sharply round Stratton’s room, and noted where the chamber lay; but his attention was at once riveted upon the fireplace with its two doors, and he walked to the one on the right, seized the handle, and found it fast.
“Yes,” he said, “been open once, but closed, I should say, for many years.”