y you, I suppose," he added bitterly, "are too much of the
policeman, Francis, to appreciate anything like that!" Hot
tempers run in families and Francis flared up on the instant.

"I may be a policeman, as you say," he retorted, "but I've got
enough sense of my duty, I hope, not to allow sentimentality to
interfere with my orders!"

It was a shrewd thrust and it caught Desmond on the raw.

"I'm sick of arguing here," he said hotly, "if you're so mighty
clever, you'd better shoot Nur-el-Din first and arrest Strangwise
afterwards. Then you'll find out which of us two is right!"

He turned on his heel and started for the little bridge leading
out onto the fen.

Francis stood still a moment watching him, then ran after him. He
caught up with Desmond as the latter reached the bridge.

"Desmond!" he said, pleadingly.

"Oh, go to hell!" retorted the other savagely, whereupon Francis
turned his back on him and walked back to the inn.

A car had stopped by the bridge and a man was getting out of it
as Desmond moved towards the fen. The next moment he found
himself face to face with the Chief.

The Chief's face was hard and cold and stern. There was a furrow
between his eyes which deepened when he recognized Desmond.

"Well," he said curtly, "and where is my secretary?"

"I don't know," Desmond faltered.

"Why are you here, then?" came back in that hard, uncompromising
voice.

Desmond was about to reply; but the other checked him.

"I know all you have to say," he resumed, "but no excuse you can
offer can explain away the disappearance of Miss Mackwayte. Your
orders were formal to remain at home. You saw fit to disobey them
and thereby, maybe, sent Miss Mackwayte to her death. No!" he
added, seeing that Desmond was about to expostulate, "I want to
hear nothing from you. However obscure the circumstances of Miss
Mackwayte's disappearance may be, one fact is perfectly clear,
namely, that she went to the Mill House, as she was ordered and
you were not there. For no man or woman in my service ever dares
to disobey an order I have given."

"Chief..." Desmond broke in, but again that inexorable voice
interposed.

"I will hear nothing from you," said the Chief, "it is a rule of
mine never to interfere with my men in their work or to see them
until their mission has been successfully completed. When you
have found Miss Mackwayte I will hear you but not before!"

Desmond drew himself up.

"In that case, sir," he