"No," I confessed.

"Well," he continued, "you may remember that yesterday when I examined
this place, I had to drape the curtain over a chair, which I moved
here for the purpose, in order to see the recess."

"So you did," I said; "I remember."

"Well, doesn't it strike you as odd? If you'll notice the way it is
fastened above, you will see that it is not upon rings. In other words
it is not intended to be opened. You see that it is in one piece so
that anybody having occasion to enter the recess would have to lift it
aside and let it fall to behind him."

I studied the arrangement of the drapings more closely and saw that
his statement was correct; also I saw something else, and:

"This room has been lighted by gas at some time!" I cried. "Here, up
under the picture-rail, is a plug."

"Most houses are provided both with gas and electric light about
here," replied Gatton abstractedly.

But even before he had finished speaking I saw his expression change,
and in a moment he had dragged a chair into the recess.

"Hold the curtain back," he directed sharply.

Standing on the chair, he began to examine the little brass plug to