“Then, they are on the outside of the door⁠—an unusual situation for bedroom bolts⁠—and were of considerable size. They were long and thick.”

“I can see, by the position of the screw-holes, that they were long; but how do you arrive at their thickness?”

“By the size of the counter-holes in the jamb of the door. These holes have been very carefully filled with wooden plugs covered with knotting; but you can make out their diameter, which is that of the bolts, and which is decidedly out of proportion for an ordinary bedroom door. Let me show you a light.”

He flashed his lamp into the dark corner, and I was able to see distinctly the portentously large holes into which the bolts had fitted, and also to note the remarkable neatness with which they had been plugged.

“There was a second door, I remember,” said I. “Let us see if that was guarded in a similar manner.”