She came to Doughty Street and picked him up and
they were at Stone Cottage in time for lunch. The
weather was still unsettled, but Tab had passed the stage
where weather made any difference to him.
Though he did not tell her of his sensational experience,
he did mention his dream.
“Ursula?” he asked. “You like Yeh Ling, don’t you?
So do I, as a matter of fact, but do you absolutely trust
him?”
She considered before she spoke.
“Yes, I think I do,” she said. “He has been a most
faithful friend. Think, Tab, without my knowledge, all
these years he has been watching over me. I should be
a most ungrateful girl if his loyalty did not move me.”
Tab thought that there might be some other explanation
of Yeh Ling’s devotion but wisely said nothing.
“Do you know,” she said, “that he keeps a man watching
this house day and night? I only discovered it by
accident when I was engaged in revolver shooting. Perhaps
Yeh Ling told you that I nearly shot one of his
sentinels.”
“He is a strange man,” admitted Tab, “but my dream
rather impressed me—”
“Even the first part of your dream hasn’t come true
yet,” she suggested demurely and he picked her up in his
arms there and then.
Happily the so-easily scandalized Mr. Turner was engaged
elsewhere.
His heart was full of love and gratitude when he left
her in the sweet-smelling dusk and mounting his bicycle,
which he had brought strapped to the back of Ursula’s
car, started on his leisurely way home.
Half-way he had a puncture which delayed him, and
it was nearly ten o’clock when he wheeled the machine
into the garage where it was maintained.
The last part of the journey was made through a heavy
driving rain and he was wet through by the time he
reached Doughty Street.
A hot bath and a change of clothing brightened him
and he was filling his cigarette case preparatory to going
out to take a meal, when he was called to the telephone.
He expected to be greeted by Carver but it was Rex who
was speaking and his voice was eager and urgent.
“Is that you Tab? My boy, I’ve made the most wonderful
discovery!”
“What is that?” asked Tab wondering.
“You are not to breathe a word to Carver, you understand,
Tab? This is the most extraordinary discovery.
Tab!” his voice shook, “I have found how the murder
was committed!”
“The Trasmere murder?”
“Yes,” came the quick reply. “I know how the man
got in and out of the vault. I was in there this afternoon
inspecting the work that has been done and I found
it by accident. It is all so simple, Tab, how the key
got on to the table, and—everything. Can you meet me
at Mayfield?”
“At Mayfield?”
“I’ll be waiting outside the door for you. I don’t
want any of Carver’s men to see us.”
“Why not?” asked Tab.
“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....
