Its solid grey stone walls were sea-stained and a trifle worn, but the arched wooden doors leading into the lifeboat shelter, which occupied one side of the building, had been newly painted, and in the front the window was hung with a curtain, now closely drawn, of some dark red material.

The lock from the door had been removed altogether, and in its place was the aperture for a Yale latch-key.

The last note of modernity was supplied by the telephone wire attached to the roof of the lifeboat shelter.

He walked all round the building, seeking in vain for some other means of ingress.

Then he stood for a few moments in front of the curtained window.