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 and struck me down, just as I was a comin' up to the pair with the torch.'

'You say you saw a woman. Did you also see the man's face?'

'No, I didn't. And I only knew that there was a woman there by the black fur she wore around her throat. I was right at the opposite end of the shed, remember, and I only saw 'er just for a second—a biggish woman's white face and the black fur.'

'You didn't see the person who knocked you down?'

'No, I didn't—the cursed blackguard,' was old Theed's quick reply. 'Had I seen him, I'd 'ave given 'im a taste of my bit o' rubber—I tell yer. He wouldn't 'ave been sensible yet—you bet!'

'But how did they get in?' I asked, amazed at his story.

'Get in? Why, they seem to 'ave 'ad a latch-key. At any rate they opened the door with a duplicate key that they'd got from somewhere. There's no sign of 'em having broken in.'

For a few moments I stood in silence, then Theed's son having called a taxi, I got in and took our faithful night-watchman down to Gunnersbury.

There, on the spot, he explained to me exactly what had occurred in the night, givin a dramatic demonstration of how he had crept up to the intruders, and pointing out the spot where he had fallen, and where, indeed, there were some palpable blood-spots from the wound in his head.

'While I lay 'ere, sir,' he added, 'the three of 'em, of course, just pried into everything they wanted to see, and then went out, closin' the door after them.