Whilst he was waiting, he heard a whistle and a quick footstep coming up the road, and drew into the shadow.

Somebody came to the gate; he heard the faint tinkle of a bell and a door opened.
The new-comer was a newspaper boy, who pushed a bundle of evening papers through the iron bars and went off again.

Tarling waited until he heard the door of the cottage or lodge close.

Then he made a circuit of the house, hoping to find another entrance.

There was evidently a servants' entrance at the back, leading from the lane, but this too was closed.
Throwing his light up, he saw that there was no broken glass on top of the wall, as there had been in the front of the house, and, making a jump, he caught the stone coping and drew himself up and astride.
He dropped into the darkness on the other side without any discomfort to himself, and made his cautious way towards the house.