ed your note bidding me to meet you here, I thought that
you contemplated flight. I have brought some money with me. Here are
five thousand dollars. If you need more I will get it."

"This will suffice for the present. I thank you. Will you kiss me?" A
sound followed which showed that this woman, eager for affection,
gladly embraced the opportunity accorded to her. At the same moment
there was a loud noise heard in the hall below, from which it was
plain that several persons had entered.

"The police!" exclaimed the Doctor. Then there was a pause as though
he might be listening, and then he continued, speaking rapidly: "As I
warned you, they have followed you. Hush! Have no fear. I shall not be
taken. I am prepared. But you! You must wait up here undisturbed. When
they find you, you must explain that you came here to look at the
property, which you contemplate buying. And now, whatever may happen,
have no fear for my safety. Keep cool and play your part like the
brave little woman that I know you to be."

There was the sound of a hurried kiss, and then Barnes was horrified
to see the door at which he was listening, open, and to find himself
confronted by Dr. Medjora. But if Barnes was taken by surprise, the
Doctor was even more astonished. His perturbation however passed in a
moment, for he recognized Barnes quickly, and thus knew that at least
he was not one of the police. Stepping through the door, he pulled it
shut after him, and turned a key which was in the lock, and, placing
the key in his pocket, thus closed one exit. Barnes retreated into the
next room and would have darted out into the hall, had not the strong
arm of the Doctor clutched him, and detained him. The Doctor then
locked that door also, after which he dragged Barnes back into the
passage between the two rooms. Here he shook him until his teeth
chattered, and though Barnes was not lacking in courage, he felt
himself so completely mastered, that he was thoroughly frightened.

"You young viper," hissed the Doctor through his teeth. "You will play
the spy upon me, will you? How long have you been listening here? But
wait. There will be time enough later for your explanations. You
remain in here, or I will take your life as mercilessly as I would
grind a rat with my heel." As though to prove that he was not
trifling, he pressed the cold barrel of a revolver against Barnes's
temple, until the young man began to realize that tracking murderers
was not t