‘It ascends to one of the rooms on the upper story, sir. A fact you might have discovered for yourself if you had taken the trouble to examine the staircase thoroughly; but it’s an abominably crooked and dangerous place, and I don’t wonder you left some portion of it unexplored.’ ‘To which of the upper rooms does it ascend?’ asked Lucius eagerly. ‘To the north-east attic. There is a door at the back of the closet in that room—you’d hardly distinguish it from the rest of the panelling—communicating with that staircase.’ ‘Did Mr. Sivewright know of the staircase when you let the house to him?’ Mr. Agar was silent for a few moments, and rubbed his bald head meditatively. ‘Well, no. I doubt if he heard of it; that is to say, I don’t remember mentioning it. You see, to the candid mind,’ continued the agent, taking a high moral tone, ‘there is something peculiarly repellent in secrecy; even a secret staircase is not a pleasant idea. And the house had acquired a queer reputation in the neighbourhood. Noises had been heard—strange cats, no doubt—silly people even pretended to having seen things; in short, the ignorant populace described the house as haunted. Idle boys chalked “Beware of the ghost” on the garden wall; and when a tenant came forward at last in the person of Mr. Sivewright—a somewhat eccentric old gentleman, as you are no doubt aware, but most upright and honourable in his dealings—I was glad to let him the old place at a ridiculously low rent.’ ‘And you did not show him the staircase?’ ‘No, I certainly didn’t show it to him.’ ‘Nor tell him anything about it?’ ‘I cannot recall having mentioned it.’ ‘Then I think we may take it for granted that he knows nothing about it. By the way, how does the communication work with the room on the first floor—it’s a sliding panel, I suppose?’ ‘Yes; there’s a bit of moulding on one of the panels that looks rather loose; press that inwards, and the panel slides behind the other part of the wainscot. I don’t suppose it works very easily, for it must be a long time since it was used.’ ‘Do you know for what purpose this staircase was originally built?’