The Shrieking Pit

alked to the open window, and looked out. He turned round swiftly, w

entered throug

th. Part of the bar was actually underground, and the windows of the rooms immediately above looked out on the hillside. The window of Mr. Glenthorpe's room, which was above the bar parlour, was not more than four or five feet away from the round-shouldered side of the hill. From that point the hill fell away rapidly, and the first-story windows at the back, wh

n this way." He stooped and picked up something from the floor, close to the window, and held it out in the palm of his han

ing to a fragment of black material adheri

ing through the window," said Galloway, detaching

ol of water which had collected near the open window,

way. "It was raining

the bed he detected some splashes of candle-grease, which he detached from the carpet with his pocket-knife. He also picked up the stump of a burnt wooden match, a

pretty hard," said Colwyn. "The glass is b

and as he did so he noticed another broken wooden match, and two more splashes of candle-grease

r. I would willingly exchange the candle-grease for some finger-prints. There's not a sign of finger-prints anywhere. Ronald must have worn gloves. Now, let us have a look at

appointments of the room they had just left. It contained a single bed, a chest of drawers, a washstand, and a wardrobe. The

ooked out. The hillside fell away so rapidly that the botto

young fellow like Ronald," said Ga

ler than the one in Mr. Glent

re the head and shoulders go the rest of the body will follow. Ronald got through it last night and int

edroom carefully. He turned down the bed-clo

ains on the linen, after carrying the body

remarked Mr. Cromering. "That would account for th

back," grumbled Galloway, turning to the washstand

e in the candlestick is

f-way down," commented G

he fact that the candle is a wax

ied Galloway, with

. He was looking attentively at the

he said. "It would be difficult to get out o

lloway, pointing to the top of the wardrobe, where the faded wall-paper, mildewed and wet with damp, was

enthorpe dined?" suggested the constable. "It's on this

I want to examine outs

standing motionless at the head of the staircase, with his head inclinin

orpe's bedside, Mr. Benson," said Colwy

put into the room at his request. He found

s? I saw no candle

ndles, sir-only t

as-globe smashe

r. Ann says it was qui

been an attentive listener to the innkeeper's replies to Colwyn's

and along the passage to another one, which

fastened last nig

the innkeeper, pointing to it. "

ack outlet from the

s,

enclosing the yard had fallen into disrepair, and had many gaps in it. There were no footprints visible in the red clay of th

om one room to the other in his stocking feet, and then put on his boots to remove th

t," said Colwyn. "But wh

ng outward from the wall for about eighteen inches, with another line about the same length running at right angles from it. Supe

y are?" said Mr. Crome

ave been made by a

" exclaimed Superintendent Galloway, staring at the detective. "Look how

nd. If it was a box, it is more like

hat pu

urderer climb

ill, sprang on to the window ledge, and dropped back again. "I attach no importance to these lines. They are so faint that they might have been made mont

to the summit of the rise. Clearly defined in the clay and the black soft earth were two sets of footprints, one going towards the rise, and the other returning. The outgoing footsteps were deeply and distinctly out

the mouth of the pit where the

ling with excitement. "You are quite certain the inn servant can

s in her hands this morning, just before Ronald put them on, and she distinctly

his boots," remarked Mr. Cromering. "I was under the impression that they were an economical

us proceed to the pit, gentlemen. May I ask you to keep clear of the fo

tered in groups along the brow of the rise. These were the hut circles-the pit dwellings of the early Britons, shallow excavations from six to eight feet deep, all running into one

ody was thrown," said Queen

among antiquaries to account for its greater depth. Some believed the pit was simply a larger specimen of the adjoining hut circles, running into a natural underground passage which had previously existed. But the more generally accepted theory was that the hut circles marked the site of a prehistoric village, and the deeper pit had been the quarry from which the Neolithic men had o

ection of prehistoric man's implements and utensils, which he recovered in various parts of Norfolk. For some time past he had been carrying out explorations in this district in order to add to the collection. It is

Look how deep they are near the edge of the pit, where the murderer braced himself to

it, but fainter as they turned away, showing that the man who had carried the body

aid Galloway. "They are far too valuable a piece of evidence t

se as conclusive,

om he walked towards the foot of the bed. He listened to make sure that Mr. Glenthorpe was asleep, and then struck the match I picked up near the foot of the bed, lit the candle he was carrying, put it on the table beside the bed, and stabbed the sleeping man. Having secu

d he do so? It strikes me as important to clear that up. If Ronald is the murderer, why d

ping with the key under the pillow. Ronald no doubt first tried to enter the room by the door, but, finding it locked, climbed out of his win

ey being found in the outside of M

t remove the body that way. After finding the key he unlocked the door, and put the key in the outside, intending to lock the door and remove the key as he left the room, so as to defer the discovery that Mr. Glenthorpe was missing until as long after his own departure in the morning as possible. He may have found it a difficult matter to sto

ted Colwyn. "But would such a careful delibera

everal wives, and disposed of their bodies by burying them under hearthstones and covering them with cement, would probably never have been caught if he had no

having disposed of the body, disappear at

the discovery of Mr. Glenthorpe's empty bedroom; and, on the other hand, he wished to stay at the inn long enough to suggest that he had no reason for flight, but was merely compelled to make an early departure. The trouble and risk he took to conceal the body outside prove conclusively

account for the key in the door: Ronald may have left it in the door to convey the impression that Mr. Glenthorpe had gone out for an early walk. That belief would at least gain Ronald a few hours to make good his escape from this part of the country and get away by train before any susp

assume he knew exactly whe

Durrington, or he may have known of it personally through some previous visit to this part of the world. And

ow do you account for the cracked gas g

ad against it as he approached

s five feet ten inches. That happens to be also my height

" replied Galloway, after a moment's reflection. "He carried the co

thing," said Colwyn with a smile, to Mr. Cromeri

thoughtfully. "Come, gentlemen, let us return to the inn. We h