Chapter 23

“Splendid! At last we come to grips. Blow out those candles, boy: there’s no good advertising our position too clearly. And then I think a little exploration of the old family mansion.” Once more we were in darkness save for the beam of Drummond’s torch. He had it focussed on the floor, and after a while he stooped down and examined the marks in the dust. “What an extraordinary track,” he remarked. “There doesn’t seem to be any sign of footmarks. It’s one broad smear.” We crowded round, and it certainly was a most …