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many tons upon this metal floor. There are small lateral columns `
`
of water outside which receive the force, and which transmit and `
`
multiply it in the manner which is familiar to you. The machine `
`
goes readily enough, but there is some stiffness in the working `
`
of it, and it has lost a little of its force. Perhaps you will `
`
have the goodness to look it over and to show us how we can set `
`
it right.' `
`
`
`
"I took the lamp from him, and I examined the machine very `
`
thoroughly. It was indeed a gigantic one, and capable of `
`
exercising enormous pressure. When I passed outside, however, and `
`
pressed down the levers which controlled it, I knew at once by `
`
the whishing sound that there was a slight leakage, which allowed `
`
a regurgitation of water through one of the side cylinders. An `
`
examination showed that one of the india-rubber bands which was `
`
round the head of a driving-rod had shrunk so as not quite to `
`
fill the socket along which it worked. This was clearly the cause `
`
of the loss of power, and I pointed it out to my companions, who `
`
followed my remarks very carefully and asked several practical `
`
questions as to how they should proceed to set it right. When I `
`
had made it clear to them, I returned to the main chamber of the `
`
machine and took a good look at it to satisfy my own curiosity. `
`
It was obvious at a glance that the story of the fuller's-earth `
`
was the merest fabrication, for it would be absurd to suppose `
`
that so powerful an engine could be designed for so inadequate a `
`
purpose. The walls were of wood, but the floor consisted of a `
`
large iron trough, and when I came to examine it I could see a `
`
crust of metallic deposit all over it. I had stooped and was `
`
scraping at this to see exactly what it was when I heard a `
`
muttered exclamation in German and saw the cadaverous face of the `
`
colonel looking down at me. `
`
`
`
"'What are you doing there?' he asked. `
`
`
`
"I felt angry at having been tricked by so elaborate a story as `
`
that which he had told me. 'I was admiring your fuller's-earth,' `
`
said I; 'I think that I should be better able to advise you as to `
`
your machine if I knew what the exact purpose was for which it `
`
was used.' `
`
`
`
"The instant that I uttered the words I regretted the rashness of `
`
my speech. His face set hard, and a baleful light sprang up in `
`
his grey eyes. `
`
`
`
"'Very well,' said he, 'you shall know all about the machine.' He `
`
took a step backward, slammed the little door, and turned the key `
`
in the lock. I rushed towards it and pulled at the handle, but it `
`
was quite secure, and did not give in the least to my kicks and `
`
shoves. 'Hullo!' I yelled. 'Hullo! Colonel! Let me out!' `
`
`
`
"And then suddenly in the silence I heard a sound which sent my `
`
heart into my mouth. It was the clank of the levers and the swish `
`
of the leaking cylinder. He had set the engine at work. The lamp `
`
still stood upon the floor where I had placed it when examining `
`
the trough. By its light I saw that the black ceiling was coming `
`
down upon me, slowly, jerkily, but, as none knew better than `
`
myself, with a force which must within a minute grind me to a `
`
shapeless pulp. I threw myself, screaming, against the door, and `
`
dragged with my nails at the lock. I implored the colonel to let `
`
me out, but the remorseless clanking of the levers drowned my `
`
cries. The ceiling was only a foot or two above my head, and with `
`
my hand upraised I could feel its hard, rough surface. Then it `
`
flashed through my mind that the pain of my death would depend `
`
very much upon the position in which I met it. If I lay on my `
`
face the weight would come upon my spine, and I shuddered to `
`
think of that dreadful snap. Easier the other way, perhaps; and `
`
yet, had I the nerve to lie and look up at that deadly black `
`
shadow wavering down upon me? Already I was unable to stand `
`
erect, when my eye caught something which brought a gush of hope `
`
back to my heart. `
`
`
`
"I have said that though the floor and ceiling were of iron, the `
`
walls were of wood. As I gave a last hurried glance around, I saw `
`
a thin line of yellow light between two of the boards, which `
`
broadened and broadened as a small panel was pushed backward. For `
`
an instant I could hardly believe that here was indeed a door `
`
which led away from death. The next instant I threw myself `
`
through, and lay half-fainting upon the other side. The panel had `
`
closed again behind me, but the crash of the lamp, and a few `
`
moments afterwards the clang of the two slabs of metal, told me `
`
how narrow had been my escape. `
`
`
`
"I was recalled to myself by a frantic plucking at my wrist, and `
`
I found myself lying upon the stone floor of a narrow corridor, `
`
while a woman bent over me and tugged at me with her left hand, `
`
while she held a candle in her right. It was the same good friend `
`
whose warning I had so foolishly rejected. `
`
`
`
"'Come! come!' she cried breathlessly. 'They will be here in a `
`
moment. They will see that you are not there. Oh, do not waste `
`
the so-precious time, but come!' `
`
`
`
"This time, at least, I did not scorn her advice. I staggered to `
`
my feet and ran with her along the corridor and down a winding `
`
stair. The latter led to another broad passage, and just as we `
`
reached it we heard the sound of running feet and the shouting of `
`
two voices, one answering the other from the floor on which we `
`
were and from the one beneath. My guide stopped and looked about `
`
her like one who is at her wit's end. Then she threw open a door `
`
which led into a bedroom, through the window of which the moon `
`
was shining brightly. `
`
`
`
"'It is your only chance,' said she. 'It is high, but it may be `
`
that you can jump it.' `
`
`
`
"As she spoke a light sprang into view at the further end of the `
`
passage, and I saw the lean figure of Colonel Lysander Stark `
`
rushing forward with a lantern in one hand and a weapon like a `
`
butcher's cleaver in the other. I rushed across the bedroom, `
`
flung open the window, and looked out. How quiet and sweet and `
`
wholesome the garden looked in the moonlight, and it could not be `
`
more than thirty feet down. I clambered out upon the sill, but I `
`
hesitated to jump until I should have heard what passed between `
`
my saviour and the ruffian who pursued me. If she were ill-used, `
`
then at any risks I was determined to go back to her assistance. `
`
The thought had hardly flashed through my mind before he was at `
`
the door, pushing his way past her; but she threw her arms round `
`
him and tried to hold him back. `
`
`
`
"'Fritz! Fritz!' she cried in English, 'remember your promise `
`
after the last time. You said it should not be again. He will be `
`
silent! Oh, he will be silent!' `
`
`
`
"'You are mad, Elise!' he shouted, struggling to break away from `
`
her. 'You will be the ruin of us. He has seen too much. Let me `
`
pass, I say!' He dashed her to one side, and, rushing to the `
`
window, cut at me with his heavy weapon. I had let myself go, and `
`
was hanging by the hands to the sill, when his blow fell. I was `
`
conscious of a dull pain, my grip loosened, and I fell into the `
`
garden below. `
`
`
`
"I was shaken but not hurt by the fall; so I picked myself up and `
`
rushed off among the bushes as hard as I could run, for I `
`
understood that I was far from being out of danger yet. Suddenly, `
`
however, as I ran, a deadly dizziness and sickness came over me. `
`
I glanced down at my hand, which was throbbing painfully, and `
`
then, for the first time, saw that my thumb had been cut off and `
`
that the blood was pouring from my wound. I endeavoured to tie my `
`
handkerchief round it, but there came a sudden buzzing in my `
`
ears, and next moment I fell in a dead faint among the `
`
rose-bushes. `
`
`
`
"How long I remained unconscious I cannot tell. It must have been `
`
a very long time, for the moon had sunk, and a bright morning was `
`
breaking when I came to myself. My clothes were all sodden with `
`
dew, and my coat-sleeve was drenched with blood from my wounded `
`
thumb. The smarting of it recalled in an instant all the `
`
particulars of my night's adventure, and I sprang to my feet with `
`
the feeling that I might hardly yet be safe from my pursuers. But `
`
to my astonishment, when I came to look round me, neither house `
`
nor garden were to be seen. I had been lying in an angle of the `
`
hedge close by the highroad, and just a little lower down was a `
`
long building, which proved, upon my approaching it, to be the `
`
very station at which I had arrived upon the previous night. Were `
`
it not for the ugly wound upon my hand, all that had passed `
`
during those dreadful hours might have been an evil dream. `
`
`
`
"Half dazed, I went into the station and asked about the morning `
`
train. There would be one to Reading in less than an hour. The `
`
same porter was on duty, I found, as had been there when I `
`
arrived. I inquired of him whether he had ever heard of Colonel `
`
Lysander Stark. The name was strange to him. Had he observed a `
`
carriage the night before waiting for me? No, he had not. Was `
`
there a police-station anywhere near? There was one about three `
`
miles off. `
`
`
`
"It was too far for me to go, weak and ill as I was. I determined `
`
to wait until I got back to town before telling my story to the `
`
police. It was a little past six when I arrived, so I went first `
`
to have my wound dressed, and then the doctor was kind enough to `
`
bring me along here. I put the case into your hands and shall do `
`
exactly what you advise." `
`
`
`
We both sat in silence for some little time after listening to `
`
this extraordinary narrative. Then Sherlock Holmes pulled down `
`
from the shelf one of the ponderous commonplace books in which he `
`
placed his cuttings. `
`
`
`
"Here is an advertisement which will interest you," said he. "It `
`
appeared in all the papers about a year ago. Listen to this: `
`
'Lost, on the 9th inst., Mr. Jeremiah Hayling, aged `
`
twenty-six, a hydraulic engineer. Left his lodgings at ten `
`
o'clock at night, and has not been heard of since. Was `
`
dressed in,' etc., etc. Ha! That represents the last time that `
`
the colonel needed to have his machine overhauled, I fancy." `
`
`
`
"Good heavens!" cried my patient. "Then that explains what the `
`
girl said." `
`
`
`
"Undoubtedly. It is quite clear that the colonel was a cool and `
`
desperate man, who was absolutely determined that nothing should `
`
stand in the way of his little game, like those out-and-out `
`
pirates who will leave no survivor from a captured ship. Well, `
`
every moment now is precious, so if you feel equal to it we shall `
`
go down to Scotland Yard at once as a preliminary to starting for `
`
Eyford." `
`
`
`
Some three hours or so afterwards we were all in the train `
`
together, bound from Reading to the little Berkshire village. `
`
There were Sherlock Holmes, the hydraulic engineer, Inspector `
`
Bradstreet, of Scotland Yard, a plain-clothes man, and myself. `
`
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