The spokesman started and stared, and his jaw dropped.  For a moment he could not speak.

’You know Lord Creedmore was warned this morning that a number had escaped from the county asylum,’ continued Logotheti, still speaking to Griggs, and pretending to lower his voice.

‘Lunatics?’ roared the man when he got his breath, exasperated out of his civil manner.  ’Lunatics, sir?  We are from Scotland Yard, sir, I’d have you know!’

‘Yes, yes,’ answered the Greek, ’we quite understand.  Humour them, my dear chap,’ he added in an undertone that was meant to be heard.  ‘Yes,’ he continued in a cajoling tone, ’I guessed at once that you were from police headquarters.  If you’ll kindly show me your warrant—­’

He stopped politely, and nudged Griggs with his elbow, so that the detectives should be sure to see the movement.  The chief saw the awkwardness of his own position, measured the bony veteran and the athletic foreigner with his eye, and judged that if the two were convinced that they were dealing with madmen they would make a pretty good fight.

‘Excuse me,’ the officer said, speaking calmly, ’but you are under a gross misapprehension about us.  This paper will remove it at once, I trust, and you will not hinder us in the performance of an unpleasant duty.’

He produced an official envelope, handed it to Logotheti, and waited for the result.

It was unexpected when it came.  Logotheti took the paper, and as it was now almost dark he looked about for the key of the electric light.  Griggs was now close to him by the door through which they had entered, and behind which the knob was placed.

‘If I can get them upstairs, lock and barricade the lower door,’ whispered the Greek as he turned up the light.

He took the paper under a bracket light on the other side of the room, beside the door of the winding stair, and began to read.

His face was a study, and Griggs watched it, wondering what was coming.  As Logotheti read and reread the few short sentences, he was apparently seized by a fit of mirth which he struggled in vain to repress, and which soon broke out into uncontrollable laughter.

‘The cleverest trick you ever saw!’ he managed to get out between his paroxysms.

It was so well done that the detective was seriously embarrassed; but after a moment’s hesitation he judged that he ought to get his warrant back at all hazards, and he moved towards Logotheti with a menacing expression.

But the Greek, pretending to be afraid that the supposed lunatic was going to attack him, uttered an admirable yell of fear, opened the door close at his hand, rushed through, slammed it behind him, and fled up the dark stairs.

The detective lost no time, and followed in hot pursuit, his two companions tearing up after him into the darkness.  Then Griggs quietly turned the key in the lock, for he was sure that Logotheti had reached the top in time to fasten the upper door, and must be already barricading it.  Griggs proceeded to do the same, quietly and systematically, and the great strength he had not yet lost served him well, for the furniture in the room was heavy.  In a couple of minutes it would have needed sledge-hammers and crowbars to break out by the lower entrance, even if the lock had not been a solid one.