“I am not sure, sir,” he said very softly, “that Mr. Dunster, in his present state of mind, is a very safe person to be allowed his freedom.  It is true that we have kept him here for his own sake, because of his fits of mental wandering.  Our statements, however, may be doubted.  An apparent return to sanity on his part may lend colour to his accusations, especially if permanent.  Perhaps it would be as well to pursue that investigation a shade further.  A touch more to the left and I do not think that Mr. Dunster will remember much in this world likely to affect us.”

Mr. Dunster’s face was like marble.  There were beads of perspiration upon his forehead, his eyes were filled with reminiscent horror.  Mr. Fentolin bent over him with genuine interest.

“What a picture he would make!” he murmured.  “What a drama!  Do you know, I am half inclined to agree with you, Sarson.  The only trouble is that you have not your instruments here.”

“I could improvise something that would do the trick,” the doctor said thoughtfully.  “It really isn’t a complicated affair.  It seems to me that his story may gain credence from the very fact of our being discovered in this extraordinary place.  To have moved him here was a mistake, sir.”

“Perhaps so,” Mr. Fentolin admitted, with a sigh.  “It was our young friend Mr. Hamel who was responsible for it.  I fancied him arriving with a search warrant at any moment.  We will bear in mind your suggestion for a few minutes.  Let us watch Meekins.  This promises to be interesting.”

By dint of piling together all the furniture in the place, the man was now able to reach the trap-door.  He pressed upon it vigorously without even bending the wood.  Mr. Fentolin smiled pleasantly.

“Meekins,” he said, “look at me.”

The man turned and faced his master.  His aspect of dogged civility had never been more apparent.

“Now listen,” Mr. Fentolin went on.  “I want to remind you of certain things, Meekins.  We are among friends here—­no secrecy, you understand, or anything of that sort.  You need not be afraid!  You know how you came to me?  You remember that little affair of Anna Jayes in Hartlepool?”

The face of the man was filled with terror.  He began to tremble where he stood.  Mr. Fentolin played for a moment with his collar, as though he found it tight.

“Such a chance it was, my dear Meekins,” Mr. Fentolin continued cheerfully, “which brought me that little scrap of knowledge concerning you.  It has bought me through all these years a good deal of faithful service.  I am not ungrateful, believe me.  I intend to retain you for my body-servant and to keep my lips sealed, for a great many years to come.  Now remember what I have said.  When we leave this place, that little episode will steal back into a far corner of my mind.  I shall, in short, forget it.  If we are caught here and inconvenience follows, well, I cannot say.  Do your best, Meekins.  Do a little better than your best.  You have the reputation of being a strong man.  Let us see you justify it.”