The Shrieking Pit

s, standing half shrouded in the night mists which were sluggishly crawling across the oozing flats from the sea. It was not a place where people could be happy-this battered

a dead and gone generation of smugglers who had used the inn in the heyday of Norfolk's sea prosperity. It may have been a thought of

through this place

retreated into the interior, and immediately afterwards the long figure of the innkeeper emerged

r the inn. Walking before them he led them along a side passage opposite the bar, opening

and destitute of furniture, others barely furnished and empty, and a big gloomy kitchen in which a stout countrywoman, who shook and bobbed at the sight of the visitors, was washing greens at a dirty deal table. Off the kitchen were two small rooms, poorly furnished as servants' bedrooms, and the windows of these looked out on the marshes at the back of the house. On the other side of the centre passage was the bar, which was subterrane

room. Next came the room in which Ronald had slept, and then an empty lumber room. There were four bedrooms on the other side, all unfurnished, except one at the far end of the passage, the lumber-room. The innkeeper explained that the murdered man had been the sole occupant of that wing of the house until the previous night, when Mr. Ronald had occupied the room next to him. At this e

r's room, sir. Sh

we will merely glance into the roo

is--" He broke off abruptl

girl, who, at the sight of the visitors, walked hurriedly across to a bedstead at the far end of the room, on which something g

id you will disturb her grandmother," he said turning to the gentlemen. "My mother is--" A m

ey flannel nightdress, who was sitting up in bed, swinging backward and forward, holding some object in her arms, clasped tightly t

and a crown of red-gold hair. She was poorly, almost shabbily, dressed, but the crude cheap garbing of a country dressmaker was unable to mar the graceful outlines of her slim young figure. But it was the impassivity of the face and detachment of attitude which chained Colwyn's attention and stimulated his intellectual curiosity. The human face is usually an index to the owner's character,

de of the bed the object she had been nursing in her arms, and looked at the girl with the dumb entreaty of an animal. Th

ng which should be kept secret, and turned to leave the room. The others followed, and imm

innkeeper said her insanity was the outcome of an accident which had happened two years before. She was sitting dozing by the kitchen fire when a large boiler of water overturned, scalding her te

sked Superintendent Galloway quickly, as

she has her paroxysms she runs round and round the room, crying out as you heard her just now, and throwing the things about. Did yo

roxysms of violent madness?

ut the turn of the moon, or

night," said Colwyn. "Did yo

an attack coming on, but when I looked in on Mother as I was going to bed, short

s poor mad woman in her bedroom all ni

y made her worse, and the doctor who saw her last year said it wasn't necessary. Peggy is with her a lot in the daytime, and often until she

in her room-is the door always lock

when I go to bed at night I take the key into my room and

t last night

just as you saw her now. She

passage lead to, Benson?" he asked, as if to change the conversation, point

nd of the inn, sir," replied the innkeeper. "

Galloway, opening the door of the first, and

ughter

rved the chief constable. "This place seems too big for you, Benson. W

ig for me I sold the furniture for wha

Galloway, abruptly. "You'll never do any good on this par

lt for a man like me to make a shift once he g

ic asylum," said the superintenden

ther away. Besides, begging your pardon, sh

e whole of the inn," said the chief constable, brea

ring after despatching the innkeeper for refreshments for the party glanced once more at his watch, and remarked

quest to-morrow," he added. "But I

d his own watch as he spoke. "It's now just four o'clock. Heathfield cannot be more than six miles away across country. I can run you over there in twenty minutes.

your way, and delaying the return

t mind returning to Durrington from Heathfield. He will be able to catch the Durrington tr

st," replied Si

ief constable. "What's the road like to Heathfield, Gall

isingly, who had his own reasons for wanting to

t, and I'll risk it coming back,

eased of the task of making up his own mind. The entrance of the innkeeper with refreshments put an end to the discussion. He thrust upon the police official

he result of this stimulant was directly apparent in the firm tones with which he announced his intention of examining those inmates of the inn who could throw any light on the

th the story of the innkeeper," he added