Guest started again, the voice sounded so strange, but he was gaining courage, for there was the familiar dark bathroom, viewed from the other end, with the cigar box on the shelf close to the door in company with the spirit-stand. Beneath the shelf there were three large four-gallon tins, which were unfamiliar, and suggested petroleum or crystal oil; there was a mackintosh hung on a peg, looking very suggestive; an alpenstock in a corner, with a salmon and trout rod. Guest saw all this at a glance, and his spirits rose, for there was no ghastly scene upon which to gaze.
Then his spirits sank to zero again, for there was the oblong of the inclosed bath occupying the left of the long, narrow place, and only just leaving room for anyone to pass.
He shuddered, and at that moment the sergeant took hold of the edge of the mahogany lid to raise it, but without success.
“Fast,” muttered the latter; and he held the light to the glistening French-polished mahogany cover, looking from place to place. “Here you are, Jem,” he said, in a low tone; “four more screws, and only just put in.”
The other man uttered a low growl, and entered with his screw-driver; moistened his hands and the tool creaked on the top of a screw, and then entered the cross slit with a loud snap. The next minute the first screw was being withdrawn.
“Pretty badly put in,” said the man. “Didn’t have a carpenter here.”
He worked away, making the old place vibrate a little with his efforts, and to Guest the whole business was horribly suggestive of taking off the lid from a coffin; but he was firmer now, as he stood behind Stratton, who drew a deep breath, now and then like a heavy sigh, but neither stirred from his position by the door they had entered, nor spoke.
All at once there was a sharp rap on the lid of the bath, which acted like a sounding-board, and the man at work started back in alarm.
“All right, Jem,” said the sergeant; “you jarred it down from the shelf.”
As he spoke he snatched up what he evidently looked upon as evidence; for it was a large gimlet, evidently quite new, and its long spiral glistened in the light of the lantern.