"  That's  the  water-gate,"  Mr.  Jobling  mentioned  and
pointed  out  a  black,  oblong  opening  in  the  cliff-face  at  some
height  above  even  high-water  mark  and  protected  against
possible  intrusion  by  a  heavy  iron  grating  whose  bars  must
have  been  as  thick  as  a  grown  man's  wrist.  "  I  suppose
the  sea  would  be  right  up  to  its  sill  when  the  place  was
built.
"  There's  an  underground  passage  connecting  it  with  the
interior  of  the  castle,  and  they'd  no  doubt  use  that  a  good
deal  in  the  old  days.
"  And  this  is  the  North  Keep,  as  it's  called;  newer,  you'll
maybe  notice,  than  the  west  frontage,  although  it  looks  just
as  ancient.  We'll  soon  have  the  Jura  house-flag  afloat  again
from  the  Warder's  Tower,  Lady  Josceline,  and  the  beacon-
fire  alight  after  dark.  It  always  burns  at  night,  you  know,
when  the  head  of  the  family's  in  residence  —  a  custom  dat-


THE  MAN  IN  POSSESSION  199

ing  back  to  the  days  when  there  were  no  other  lights  on
the  coast.
"  You'll  see  the  moat  now.  Long  ago  it  was  always  full,
even  at  low  tide.  But  now  it's  as  dry  as  —  "

"  As  I  am!  "  grumbled  Captain  Dove,  spitting  down  into
the  deep  fosse  which  had  formerly  cut  the  castle  off  from
the  mainland  but  is  now  no  more  than  an  empty  ravine
spanned  by  an  ornate  drawbridge  of  modern  date.
They  crossed  that,  their  footsteps  producing  an  eerie,
clank  on  the  planking,  and  came  to  a  halt  before  the  main
entrance,  over  whose  heavy,  iron-studded  oak  doors  still
hung,  a  mute  reminder  of  more  stormy  times,  a  massive
portcullis  armed  with  chevaux-de-frise  of  long,  pointed
spikes.
Slyne  rang  the  electric  door-bell.
