"
"Plenty of spikes and glass-bottle stuff on those walls, anyhow!" remarked
Ayscough, as they went round a narrow alley to the rear of the villa.
"Your grandfather evidently didn't intend anybody to get into these
premises very easily, Mr. Rubinstein. Six-foot walls and what you might
call regular fortifications on top of 'em! What are you going to do,
now?"
Melky had entered a recess in the side-wall and was examining a stout door
on which, plainly seen in the moonlight, were the words _Tradesman's
Entrance_. He turned the handle--and uttered an exclamation.
"Open!" he said. "Come on, Mr. Ayscough--we're a-going in! If there is
anybody at home, all right--if there ain't, well, still all right. I'm
going to have a look round."
The detective followed Melky into a paved yard at the back of the villa.
All was very still there--and the windows were dark.
"No lights, back or front," remarked Ayscough. "Can't be anybody in. And I
say--if either of those Chinese gents was to let himself in with his key
at the front gate and find us prowling about, it wouldn't look very well,
would it, now? Why not call again--in broad daylight?"
"Shucks!" said Melky.
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