“The front door I bolts and bars every night,” he said. “And bolted and barred it was when I came down just a few minutes ago to let you lads in. So you can make up your mind about that, Mr. Policeman. No burglar came into this house by the front door, last night or any other night.”

“Right,” answered Shelley briskly, cursing himself that he had suggested such a ridiculous thing. “Well, what about the back door? I suppose that a house of this size must have a back door somewhere.”

The old man cackled again. “Locked likewise,” he said. “I had a look at it, just to make sure, before I let you in just now.”

“Well, windows, then,” suggested Shelley in desperation. “There are so many ways in which he might have got in that ’twould be quicker if you would allow us to have a quick glance around than if we went through all the possibilities with you.”

“All right, then,” said Mr. Ramsbottom. “If you want to have a squint around you shall. But don’t expect me to come with you. I should catch me death of cold if I went all over this old barn of a house in my nightshirt.”

“That’s all right, Mr. Ramsbottom,” said Shelley with some relief. “We shall be all right. Only one thing, though: is there anyone else in the house? We don’t want to go wandering into somebody’s bedroom, and giving them a dreadful fright.”

Again that crazy cackle burst upon their ears.

“Eh, that’s all right, lads,” said Ramsbottom. “There’s nobody in the house barring myself. I’ve lived here all alone for nigh on twenty years, and I reckon that I shall go on living here alone until I die.”

“Right,” said Shelley, and then proceeded to split up their little party.

“You take the ground floor, Cunningham,” he said, “and keep Mr. Fairhurst with you.”

Henry had been strangely quiet during all the discussion, but at this he plainly jibbed.

“Mr. Shelley,” he said, “I think that I should be allowed to come with you.”

“Mr. Fairhurst,” answered Shelley sternly, “you will do what you are told. It’s bad enough having an outsider with us at all when we’re engaged on chasing such a dangerous man as this, but the least that I can do is see that you are, as far as is possible, kept out of danger.”

“But, Mr. Shelley—” Henry started to protest, but Shelley silenced him with a peremptory gesture.

“Another word, Mr. Fairhurst, and I shall tell you to go outside this house,” he said. “I’ve had quite enough argument in this case already. From now on I manage it in my own way.”