Anthony had said that he believed another attempt to resume the search would be made. Nevertheless, he did not expect that the attempt would be made from outside. He believed that Virginia had been correct in her guess that some one had passed her in the dark the night before, and as he stood in the shadow of an old oak dresser it was towards the door and not the window that his eyes were directed. Virginia was crouching behind a figure in armour on the opposite wall, and Bill was by the window. The minutes passed, at interminable length. One o’clock chimed, then the half-hour, then two, then another half-hour. Anthony felt stiff and cramped. He was coming slowly to the conclusion that he had been wrong. No attempt would be made to-night. And then he stiffened suddenly, all his senses on the alert. He had heard a footstep on the terrace outside. Silence again, then a low scratching noise at the window. Suddenly it ceased, and the window swung open. A man stepped across the sill into the room. He stood quite still for a moment, peering round as though listening. After a minute or two, seemingly satisfied, he switched on a torch he carried, and turned it rapidly round the room. Apparently he saw nothing unusual. The three watchers held their breath. He went over to the same bit of panelled wall he had been examining the night before. And then a terrible knowledge smote Bill. He was going to sneeze! The wild race through the dew-laden park the night before had given him a chill. All day he had sneezed intermittently. A sneeze was due now, and nothing on earth would stop it. He adopted all the remedies he could think of. He pressed his upper lip, swallowed hard, threw back his head and looked at the ceiling. As a last resort he held his nose, and pinched it violently. It was of no avail. He sneezed. A stifled, checked, emasculated sneeze, but a startling sound in the deadly quiet of the room. The stranger sprang round, and in the same minute Anthony acted. He flashed on his torch, and jumped full for the stranger. In another minute they were down on the floor together. “Lights,” shouted Anthony. Virginia was ready at the switch. The lights came on true and full to-night. Anthony was on top of his man, Bill leant down to give him a hand. “And now,” said Anthony, “let’s see who you are, my fine fellow.” He rolled his victim over. It was the neat, dark-bearded stranger from the _Cricketers_. “Very nice indeed,” said an approving voice. They all looked up startled. The bulky form of Superintendent Battle was standing in the open doorway. “I thought you were in London, Superintendent Battle,” said Anthony. Battle’s eyes twinkled. “Did you, sir?” he said. “Well, I thought it would be a good thing if I was thought to be going.” “And it has been,” agreed Anthony, looking down at his prostrate foe. To his surprise there was a slight smile on the stranger’s face. “May I get up, gentlemen?” he inquired. “You are three to one.”