, his
white, even teeth bared in a quiet smile, was very steadily
looking at his prisoner.

"Well, Desmond," he said at last, "here's a pleasant surprise! I
thought you were dead!"

Desmond said nothing. He was not a coward as men go; but he was
feeling horribly afraid just then. The deviltry of the scene he
had just witnessed had fairly unmanned him. The red and black
setting of the room had a suggestion of Oriental cruelty in its
very garishness. Desmond looked from Strangwise, cool and
smiling, to Bellward, gross and beastly, and from the two men to
Barbara, wan and still and defenceless. And he was afraid.

Then Bellward scrambled clumsily to his feet, plucking a revolver
from his inside pocket as he did so.

"You sneaking rascal," he snarled, "we'll teach you to play your
dirty tricks on us!"

He raised the pistol; but Strangwise stepped between the man and
his victim.

"Kill him!" cried Bellward, "and let's be rid of him once and for
all!"

"What" said Strangwise. "Kill Desmond? Ah, no, my friend, I don't
think so!"

And he added drily:

"At least not quite yet!"

"But you must be mad," exclaimed Bellward, toying impatiently
with his weapon, "you let him escape through your fingers before!
I know his type. A man like him is only safe when he's dead. And
if you won't..."

"Now, Bellward," said Strangwise not budging but looking the
other calmly in the eye, "you're getting excited, you know."

But Bellward muttered thickly:

"Kill him! That's all I ask. And let's get out of here! I tell
you it isn't safe! Minna can shift for herself!" he added
sulkily.

"As she has always done!" said a voice at the door. Mrs.
Malplaquet stood there, a very distinguished looking figure in
black with a handsome set of furs.

"But who's this?" she asked, catching sight of Desmond, as she
flashed her beady black eyes round the group. Of Barbara she took
not the slightest notice. Desmond remarked it and her
indifference shocked him profoundly.

"Of course, you don't recognize him!" said Strangwise. "This is
Major Desmond Okewood, more recently known as Mr. Basil
Bellward!"

The woman evinced no surprise.

"So!" she said, "I thought we'd end by getting him. Well,
Strangwise, what are we waiting for? Is our friend to live for
ever?"

"That's what I want to know!" bellowed Bellward savagely.

"I have not finished with our friend here!" observed Strangwise.

"No, no," cried Mrs. Malplaquet quickly, Strangwis