ds to avoid making
them creak. The stairway turned on itself in the middle, and at the
top he was facing the front of the house again. Here he had to flash
his light for a second. Immediately before him a pair of doors gave on
the big room. They stood open. There were two more doors, one on each
hand, both closed. Evan put out his light. As he did so a tiny ray of
light became visible through the keyhole of the door on his left.

Evan dropped the light in his pocket, and took out his gun. Drawing a
deep breath to steady himself, he smartly turned the handle and,
flinging the door open, stepped back into the darkness. He saw in the
centre of the great, bare, ruinous room an old packing case with a
common lamp upon it, and a smaller box to sit on. He saw in the corner
an army cot with a little figure lying upon it covered by a carriage
robe, a figure which turned over and sat up at the sound of the door.
He saw--Corinna!

CHAPTER XXII

TOWARDS MORNING

The shock of astonishment unmanned Evan. His pistol arm dropped weakly
at his side, his mouth hung open, he stared like an idiot. To have
crept into the house heart in mouth and pistol in hand, to have nerved
himself to meet and overcome a desperate criminal--and then to find
this! The violence of the reaction threw all his machinery out of
gear; he stalled. He felt inclined to laugh weakly.

Corinna could not see him clearly, though presumably she was aware of a
figure standing in the hall. She was very much affronted by the
violence of the intrusion, and not in the least afraid. She sat up
with her glorious hair a little tousled, and her eyes flashing like a
diminutive empress's.

"Mr. Straiker, is it you? What does this mean?" she demanded.

Evan could not readily find his tongue. Amazement broke over him in
succeeding waves like a surf. Corinna! Corinna here! Corinna a
member of the blackmailing gang! Corinna, the chief! Oh, impossible!
He was in a nightmare!

"Mr. Straiker!" repeated Corinna more sharply. "Come in at once!" She
was on her feet now.

Evan's faculties began to work again. In anticipation he tasted the
sweets of perfect revenge. This little creature had put an intolerable
humiliation upon him. Very well, here she was absolutely in his power!
Dropping the gun in his pocket, he stepped into the room smiling.

At sight of him Corinna did not cry out, but the shock she received was
dreadfully evident in her eyes.