y laughed contemptuously.

"I think I can reconstruct the scene a little better than that," he
declared. "What do you say, Mr. Lassen?"

The man glared at him viciously.

"I do not know what you are talking about," he said. "I do not
wish to speak to you. I am ill. You had better go and persuade
Mademoiselle to return. She is at Dover, waiting."

"You are a liar!" Bellamy answered. "She is in her room now,
locked up--guarded, perhaps, by one of your creatures. I have been
half-way to Dover, but I tumbled to your scheme in time, Mr. Lassen.
You found our friend Laverick a trifle awkward, I fancy."

Lassen swore through his teeth but said nothing.

"From your somewhat dishevelled appearance," Bellamy continued, "I
think I may conclude that you were not able to come to any amicable
arrangement with Mademoiselle's visitor. He declined to accept you
as her proxy, I imagine. Still, one must make sure."

He advanced quickly. Lassen shrank back in his chair.

"What do you mean?" he asked gruffly. "Keep him away from me,
Henri. Ring the bell for your other man. This fellow will do me
a mischief."

"Not I," Bellamy answered scornfully. "Stay where you are, Henri.
To your other accomplishments I have no doubt you include that of
valeting. Take off his coat."

"But, Monsieur!" Henri protested.

"I'm d--d if he shall!" the man in the chair snarled.

Bellamy turned to the door, locked it, and put the key in his pocket.

"Look here," he said, "I do not for one moment believe that Laverick
handed over to you the document you were so anxious to obtain. On
the other hand, I imagine that your somewhat battered appearance is
the result of fruitless argument on your part with a view to inducing
him to do so. Nevertheless, I can afford to run no risks. The coat
first, please, Henri. It is necessary that I search it thoroughly."

There was a brief hesitation. Bellamy's hand went reluctantly into
his pocket.

"I hate to seem melodramatic," he declared, "and I never carry
firearms, but I have a little life-preserver here which I have
learned how to use pretty effectively. Come, you know, it isn't a
fair fight. You've had all you want, Lassen, and Henri there hasn't
the muscle of a chicken."

Lassen rose, groaning, to his feet and allowed his coat to be
removed. Bellamy glanced through the pockets, holding one letter
for a moment in his hands as he glanced at the address.

"The writing of our friend S