“Because,” said Rex’s voice deliberately, “Carver is in this murder up to his neck!” Tab nearly dropped the receiver from his hands. “You are mad,” he said. “Am I? You shall judge for yourself. And Yeh Ling is in it--hurry!” Tab ran to the larder and pushed a handful of biscuits into his pocket, put on his raincoat, and went out into the vile night, his mind in a state of chaos. Carver! And Yeh Ling was in it too! The wind had risen and half a gale swept through the deserted Peak Avenue as he strode along to the house of mystery. He did not see Rex until he passed through the gate. That young man was standing under the shelter of the portico by the door. Nearby in the concrete yard Tab saw a car. “We’ll find our way on in the dark. I’ve got a pocket lamp,” he whispered, and Tab stepped into the dark, deserted hall, with its musty scent and its strangely oppressive atmosphere of decay and neglect. Rex’s voice was trembling with excitement. “We can put the lights on after we get into the corridor,” he said. He found his way across the room by the light of the lamp, unlocked the door and led the way into the passage. “Shut that door, Tab,” he hissed and when Tab had obeyed he turned on all the lights. Near the end of the corridor Tab saw a great heap of bricks and a board covered with mortar; the work of bricking up the vault had begun and the first course stretched across the open doorway of the vault. Rex stepped over the brick-work and illuminated the empty interior. “There!” said Rex triumphantly and pointed to the table. “What is it?” asked Tab in amazement. “Hold both sides of the table and pull.” “But the table is fixed on to the floor; we noticed that before,” said Tab. “Do as I tell you,” said Rex impatiently. Tab leant over the table, and gripping both edges firmly pulled.... XXXII He awoke to consciousness with a sense of dull pain at the back of his neck and a feeling of restriction. He was sitting against the wall propped up, and when he tried to bring up a hand to rub his aching neck, he found they would not move. He opened his eyes and looked around and the first thing he noticed was that his feet were strapped together. He stared stupidly at the fastening, and tried to move his hands--but they were in a curious position. He was handcuffed behind. To the connecting links a cord had been fastened and passed under him to the strap. “What--” he began and heard somebody laugh softly. Looking up he saw Rex. That young man was sitting on the edge of the table smoking. “Feel better?” he asked politely. “What is the meaning of this, Rex?” “It means that, as I promised, you have found the murderer of dear Uncle Jesse,” said Rex, his baby blue eyes gleaming. “I killed Jesse Trasmere. I also killed that drunken beast Brown. I didn’t intend killing Brown,” he went on reflectively. “Unfortunately he left me no alternative. He recognised me in the park at the time when I was supposed to be in Naples.”