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remembered that Lord Ragnall's confidential servant； Mr。 Savage； when
he conducted me to my room on the previous night； which he made a
point of doing perhaps because he wished to talk over the matter of
the snakes that had found their way into his pockets； had shown me a
bell in it which he said rang outside his door。 He called it an
〃emergency bell。〃 I remarked idly that it was improbable that I should
have any occasion for its use。
〃Who knows； sir？〃 said Mr。 Savage prophetically。 〃There are folk who
say that this old castle is haunted； which after what I have seen
to…night I can well believe。 If you should chance to meet a ghost
looking； let us say； like those black villains； Harum and Scarum； or
whatever they call themselveswell； sir； two's better company than
one。〃
I considered that bell but was loath to ring it for the reasons I have
given。 Then I went outside the room and looked。 As I had hoped might
be the case； there ran the wire on the face of the wall connected
along its length by other wires with the various rooms it passed。
I set to work and followed that wire。 It was not an easy job； indeed
once or twice it reminded me of that story of the old Greek hero who
found his way through a labyrinth by means of a silken thread。 I
forget whether it were a bull or a lady he was looking for； but with
care and perseverance he found one or the other； or it may have been
both。
Down staircases and various passages I went with my eye glued upon the
wire； which occasionally got mixed up with other wires； till at length
it led me through a swing door covered with red baize into what
appeared to be a modern annexe to the castle。 Here at last it
terminated on the spring of an alarming…looking and deep…throated bell
that hung immediately over a certain door。
On this door I knocked； hoping that it might be that of Mr。 Savage and
praying earnestly that it did not enclose the chaste resting…place of
the cook or any other female。 Too late； I mean after I had knocked； it
occurred to me that if so my position would be painful to a degree。
However in this particular Fortune stood my friend； which does not
always happen to the virtuous。 For presently I heard a voice which I
recognized as that of Mr。 Savage； asking； not without a certain quaver
in its tone；
〃Who the devil is that？〃
〃Me；〃 I replied； being flustered。
〃'Me' won't do；〃 said the voice。 'Me' might be Harum or it might be
Scarum； or it might be someone worse。 Who's 'Me'？〃
〃Allan Quatermain； you idiot；〃 I whispered through the keyhole。
〃Anna who？ Well； never mind。 Go away； Hanna。 I'll talk to you in the
morning。〃
Then I kicked the door； and at length； very cautiously； Mr。 Savage
opened it。
〃Good heavens； sir；〃 he said； 〃what are you doing here； sir？ Dressed
too； at this hour； and with the handle of a pistol sticking out of
your pocketor is itthe head of a snake？〃 and he jumped back； a
strange and stately figure in a long white nightshirt which apparently
he wore over his underclothing。
I entered the room and shut the door； whereon he politely handed me a
chair； remarking；
〃Is it ghosts； sir； or are you ill； or is it Harum and Scarum； of whom
I have been thinking all night？ Very cold too； sir； being afraid to
pull up the bedclothes for fear lest there might be more reptiles in
them。〃 He pointed to his dress…coat hanging on the back of another
chair with both the pockets turned inside out； adding tragically； 〃To
think； sir； that this new coat has been a nest of snakes； which I have
hated like poison from a child； and me almost a teetotaller！〃
〃Yes；〃 I said impatiently； 〃it's Harum and Scarum as you call them。
Take me to Lord Ragnall's bedroom at once。〃
〃Ah！ sir； burgling； I suppose； or mayhap worse；〃 he exclaimed as he
threw on some miscellaneous garments and seized a life…preserver which
hung upon a hook。 〃Now I'm ready； only I hope they have left their
snakes behind。 I never could bear the sight of a snake； and they seem
to know itthe brutes。〃
In due course we reached Lord Ragnall's room； which Mr。 Savage
entered； and in answer to a stifled inquiry exclaimed；
〃Mr。 Allan Quatermain to see you； my lord。〃
〃What is it； Quatermain？〃 he asked； sitting up in bed and yawning。
〃Have you had a nightmare？〃
〃Yes；〃 I answered； and Savage having left us and shut the door； I told
him everything as it is written down。
〃Great heavens！〃 he exclaimed when I had finished。 〃If it had not been
for you and your intuition and courage〃
〃Never mind me；〃 I interrupted。 〃The question iswhat should be done
now？ Are you going to try to arrest these men； or will youhold your
tongue and merely cause them to be watched？〃
〃Really I don't know。 Even if we can catch them the whole story would
sound so strange in a law…court； and all sorts of things might be
suggested。〃
〃Yes； Lord Ragnall； it would sound so strange that I beg you will come
at once to see the evidences of what I tell you； before rain or snow
obliterates them； bringing another witness with you。 Lady Longden；
perhaps。〃
〃Lady Longden！ Why one might as well write to /The Times/。 I have it！
There's Savage。 He is faithful and can be silent。〃
So Savage was called in and； while Lord Ragnall dressed himself
hurriedly； told the outline of his story under pain of instant
dismissal if he breathed a word。 Really to watch his face was as good
as a play。 So astonished was he that all he could ejaculate was
〃The black…hearted villains！ Well； they ain't friendly with snakes for
nothing。〃
Then having made sure that Miss Holmes was still in her room； we went
down the twisting stair and through the side doorway； locking the door
after us。 By now the dawn was breaking and there was enough light to
enable me in certain places where the snow that fell after the gale
remained； to show Lord Ragnall and Savage the impress of the little
bedroom slippers which Miss Holmes wore； and of my stockinged feet
following after。
In the plantation things were still easier； for every detail of the
movements of the four of us could be traced。 Moreover； on the back
drive was the spoor of the horses and the marks of the wheels of the
carriage that had been brought for the purposes of the abduction。 Also
my great good fortune； for this seemed to prove my theory； we found a
parcel wrapped in native linen that appeared to have fallen out of the
carriage when Har？t and Mar？t made their hurried escape； as one of the
wheels had gone over it。 It contained an Eastern woman's dress and
veil； intended； I suppose； to be used in disguising Miss Holmes； who
thence…forward would have appeared to be the wife or daughter of one
of the abductors。
Savage discovered this parcel； which he lifted only to drop it with a
yell； for underneath it lay a torpid snake； doubtless one of those
that had been used in the performance。
Of these discoveries and many other