e-and-cry
was raised, police whistles were blown, and Richard Harrington, Mr.
Bellingham's private secretary, was smartly arrested.

At the trial things looked black against Richard. He was poor and he was
in love with Hyacinth; the chain of evidence was complete. In spite of
his impassioned protest from the dock, in spite of Hyacinth's dramatic
swoon in front of the solicitor's table, the judge with great solemnity
passed sentence of twenty years' penal servitude. A loud "Hear, hear"
from the gallery rang through the court, and, looking up, Mr. Bellingham
caught the sardonic eye of the mysterious Jasper.

II

Richard had been in prison a month before the opportunity for his escape
occurred. For a month he had been hewing stone in Portland, black
despair at his heart. Then, like lightning, he saw his chance and took
it. The warders were off guard for a moment. Hastily lifting his
pickaxe--

[MANAGER. _Sorry, but it's a spade in the only prison film we've got_.]

Hastily borrowing a spade from a comrade who was digging potatoes, he
struck several of his gaolers down, and, dodging the shots of others
who hurried to the scene, he climbed the prison wall and dashed for
freedom.

Reaching Weymouth at nightfall, he made his way to the house which
Hyacinth had taken in order to be near him, and, suitably disguised,
travelled up to London with her in the powerful motor which she had kept
ready. "At last, my love, we are together," he murmured as they
neared Wimbledon. But he had spoken a moment too soon. An aeroplane
swooped down upon them, and Hyacinth was snatched from his arms
and disappeared with her captors into the clouds.

III

Richard's first act on arriving in London was to go to Mr. Bellingham's
house. Andrew was out, but a note lying on his study carpet, "_Meet me at
the Old Windmill to-night,"_ gave him a clue. On receipt of this note
Andrew had gone to the rendezvous, and it was no surprise to him when
Jasper stepped out and offered to sell him a packet containing a marriage
certificate, a photograph of an old gentleman dipping a sheep, a
peppermint lozenge with "Jess" on it, and various other documents for a
thousand pounds.

"You villain," cried Andrew, "even at the trial I suspected you," and he
rushed at him fiercely.

A desperate struggle ensued. Breaking free for a moment from the
vice-like grip of the other, Jasper leapt with the spring of a panther at
one of the sails of the windmi