"It is proved," said Frith, "that no violence overtakes those subjected to this ordeal. And I have decided that we shall not be in danger, for this reason. We shall be armed as none of the dead were. Our precautions will preclude any possibility of foul play from a material assault. And, needless to say, we contemplate no other. We are free agents, and I should not quarrel with any among us who shirked; but duty is duty, and we have all faced dangers as great as this--probably far greater. What you say is most interesting, doctor, and I agree with you, that outside the room we must look for the explanation of these murders--if murders they are. Upon that business we shall start to-morrow. Forgive me for not going into details, because we have our personal methods. They embrace the element of surprise, and, of course, prevent any conversation concerning what we are going to do until we have done it." "Supposing you are all found dead to-morrow?" asked Dr. Mannering bluntly. "Then we are all found dead to-morrow; and others will have the satisfaction of finding out why." "You suspect somebody, yet can absolve nobody?" "Exactly, Sir Walter. I said pretty much that to the pressmen, who forced themselves in this afternoon. The accursed daily Press of this country has saved the skin of more blackguards than I like to count. Keep them and the photographers away. It ought to be criminal--their interference." "I ordered that none was to be admitted for a moment." "It is always very hard to keep them out. They are cunning devils, and take a perverse pleasure in adding to our difficulties. Little they care how they defeat justice if they can only get 'copy' for their infernal newspapers." Inspector Frith spoke with some warmth; he had little for which to thank the popular Press. Within an hour the four departed, and it was understood that they should not be disturbed until they themselves cared to reappear. Mannering remained with Sir Walter and Lennox. He was dejected and exceedingly anxious. But the others did not share his fears. The younger, indeed, felt hopeful that definite results might presently be recorded, and he went to his bed very thankful to get there. But Sir Walter, now calm and refreshed by some hours of sleep during the afternoon, designed to keep his own vigil. "Poor May lies in my library to-night," he said, "and I shall watch beside him. Mary also wishes to do so. It seems a proper respect to pay the dead. The inquest takes place to-morrow, and he will be buried in his parish. We must attend the funeral, Mary and I." "If ever a man took his own life, that man did!" declared the doctor. CHAPTER IX. THE NIGHT WATCH