The headlights swung clear of the house. The stones gleamed on the great heaped-up piles alongside the workings. I looked at Dave. I could see his face quite clearly. It was white and his breath came quickly. The car slowed down to a crawl as it came level with the house not fifty yards from where we lay hid. The headlights swung away from us as the car turned. Finally it stopped, its lights blazing full on the dark facade of Cripples' Ease. Two men got out and went to the front door. One wore uniform.
'Police,' Dave whispered. 'The bloke in plain clothes is a detective.'
I nodded.
'If they'd got anything on the Captain they'd have brought more men and surrounded the place,' he added. 'It's suspicious they are, that's all.' Relief and fear showed themselves in his voice.
The two policemen waited in the doorway. At last the door opened. It was Captain Manack. He had a dressing-gown on over his pyjamas and he carried a lamp. A few words and the two police officers went inside. The light entered one of the front rooms. I could see right into it for there were no curtains and the shutters were not closed. It had apparently been the bar. It did not appear to have been altered since the days when the house had been a pub. Even at that distance I could see the bar counter with shelves for bottles behind and a dartboard hanging on the wall above the fireplace. Captain Manack went out. A few minutes later he came back into the room and shortly afterwards Slim entered, followed by Friar. They were both in their night things. Then the old woman came in. And finally Kitty.
A great weight seemed lifted off my mind at the sight of her standing there in the doorway in her dressing-gown. She seemed heavy and tired. Her face was white and expressionless. I couldn't bear to watch her being interrogated. 'Maybe we ought to get back to the hideout,' I suggested.
'Lie still, man,' Dave whispered urgently. 'Lie still and don't move. They may have men posted all round with night glasses. Just lie still and wait.'
For the better part of half an hour we lay there, our stomachs pressed to the cold stones that became sharper as the minutes lengthened. At last there was no one in the room but Captain Manack and the two officers. All three were smoking. Then they went on. The door closed and the house was black again. The light appeared next at the front door. The two policemen went across to their car. I heard the plainclothes man say in quite a cheerful voice. 'Good night, sir. Sorry we called so late.'
'That's all right,' Captain Manack answered. 'Good night.'
There was the slam of doors as the policemen got into their car. Then the engine roared into life. And at the same time a face appeared at the little dormer window at the top of the house. I could see it quite clearly in the blaze of the headlights. It looked white and strained and the beard was thrust between the bars. I could see the old man's eyes.