CHAPTER 7IN THE GLOOM
All this darkness and mystery did not surprise Nick. He knew that Benton was a great man for hocus-pocus.
He had signs and passwords, and surrounded himself with precautions which looked childish.
There was a purpose in all this, however. By keeping a good many silly mysteries in motion he managed very often to cover up the real mystery and direct attention elsewhere.
Nick knew Benton for a desperate man at heart. Was he playing a deep game here?
It was just like him to collect the whole Helstone gang in the dark for no other purpose than to show them what a mysterious character he was. By and by he might bring a lamp, and then the business would proceed in the most ordinary way in the world.
But, on the other hand, he might have a deadly trap concealed in this
