He pushed the door open softly, believing that the doctor would be still asleep, and Chick on guard.
The room was empty.
Nick was at first amazed, and then he reflected that it was quite possible that some disclosure of the prisoner had led Chick to accompany him in search of evidence.
He passed out into the laboratory. It was darker at this hour of dawn than at midnight with the moonlight in it.
The sheeted figure still lay upon the slab. Was it a body obtained in the usual way, under the sanction of the law, or had it a criminal history? Nobody knew better than Nick the secrets that may lurk in the dissecting-room.
With such thoughts, he paused a moment beside the body. He was about to lift the sheet in order to satisfy some doubts which still lingered in his mind when he was attracted by a slight noise in the cellar.
He quickly stepped to the head of the stairs. Certainly there was some person below.
Nick cautiously descended the steps. The electric lights were not shining, but the furnace sent up a glow in which the surrounding objects were dimly visible.
The first of these objects to command Nick's attention was no other than the white face of Dr. Jarvis bending over the furnace.
He had removed some portion of the arch above the raging fire, and just as Nick's eye fell upon him, he put a human arm into the white flame.