And before the light had well time to fall on things, I knew that I was underneath the church, and that this chamber was none other than the Mohune Vault.
It was a large room, much larger, I think, than the schoolroom where Mr.
Glennie taught us, but not near so high, being only some nine feet from floor to roof.

I say floor, though in reality there was none, but only a bottom of soft wet sand; and when I stepped down on to it my heart beat very fiercely, for I remembered what manner of place I was entering, and the dreadful sounds which had issued from it that Sunday morning so short a time before.

I satisfied myself that there was nothing evil lurking in the dark corners, or nothing visible at least, and then began to look round and note what was to be seen.

Walls and roof were stone, and at one end was a staircase closed by a great flat stone at top--that same stone which I had often seen, with a ring in it, in the floor of the church above.

All round the sides were stone shelves, with divisions between them like great bookcases, but instead of books there were the coffins of the Mohunes.