Reflecting on a day well done, what with surviving the staff trial and finding out where and how to get hold of the scarab, Ashe decides to come into action. At 2 a.m. he puts the book he was reading in his pocket and leaves his room on the scarab mission. In the darkness of the castle's hallway he suddenly bumps into Joan Valentine, who confesses that she is on the same mission, Aline Peters having told her about the scarab and the reward. Then they hear the sound of someone coming down the stairs, and Joan retreats to the servants' quarters. When Rupert Baxter,  on his way to get himself a whisky toddy, brooding over last days' encounter with mr. Peters and Ashe Marson, finds the latter close to the museum door he demands an explanation. Ashe tells him that mr. Peters has called upon him to read because of his insomnia and produces his book as evidence. He the proceeds to mr. Peters'room, stealthily follwed by Baxter, who gives up his shadowing realizing that it would be better to catch Ashe in the actual act of stealing the scarab. Ashe proceeds to the  room of a startled mr. Peters, tells him of what happened and  starts his reading session.