Theupperpartofthehousewas，sunkinsilence，butrisingfromthedining—roombelow，throughtheopeningmadebythestairs，camethevoicesofProtheroandPearsall。Andmixedwiththeirvoicescamealsothesharphissofwaterissuingfromasiphon。Thesoundwasreassuring。Apparently，overtheirwhiskey—and—sodathetwomenwerestilllingeringatthedinner—table。Forthemoment，then——sofar，atleast，astheywereconcerned——thecoastwasclear。
Steppingcautiously，andkeepingclosetothewall，Fordranlightlyupthestairstothehallofthethirdfloor。Itwaslitbrightlybyagas—jet，butnoonewasinsight，andthethreedoorsopeninguponitwereshut。Attherearofthehallwasawindow;
theblindwasraised，andthroughthepanes，drippingintherain，Fordcaughtaglimpseoftherigidironrodsofafire—escape。Hisspiritsleapedexultantly。Ifnecessary，bymeansofthisscalingladder，hecouldworkentirelyfromtheoutside。Greatlyelated，hetiptoedpastthecloseddoorsandmountedtothefourthfloor。Thisalsowaslitbyagas—jetthatshowedatoneendofthehallatableonwhichweremedicine—bottlesandatraycoveredbyanapkin;andattheotherend，pileduponeachotherandblockingthehall—window，werethreesteamer—trunks。Paintedoneachweretheinitials，\"D。D。\"Fordbreathedanexclamation。
\"DosiaDale，\"hemuttered，\"Ihavefoundyou！\"Hewasagainconfrontedbythreecloseddoors，oneleadingtoaroomthatfacedthestreet，anotheropeninguponaroomintherearofthehouse，andopposite，acrossthehallway，stillanotherdoor。Heobservedthatthefirsttwodoorswereeachfastenedfromtheoutsidebyboltsandaspringlock，andthatthekeytoeachlockwasinplace。Thefactmovedhimwithindecision。Ifhetookpossessionofthekeys，hecouldentertheroomsathispleasure。Ontheotherhand，shouldtheirlossbediscovered，analarmwouldberaisedandhewouldinevitablycomeundersuspicion。Theverypurposehehadinviewmightbefrustrated。Hedecidedthatwheretheywerethekeyswouldservehimaswellasinhispocket，andturnedhisattentiontothethirddoor。Thiswasnotlocked，and，fromitsposition，Fordguesseditmustbeanentrancetoaservants’
stairway。