e, "you've had
your lesson. You've lost the jewel and you're not likely to get
it back unless you think that this young man has come here with
it on him. Do you want to lose your life, the lives of all of us,
as well? Come, come, the fellow's no earthly good to us! And he's
a menace to us all as long as he's alive!"

"Minna," said Strangwise, "you must trust me. Besides..." he
leaned forward and whispered something in her ear. "Now," he
resumed aloud, "you shall take Bellward downstairs and leave me
to have a little chat with our friend here."

To Bellward he added:

"Minna will tell you what I said. But first," he pointed to
Barbara who remained apparently lifeless in her chair, "bring her
round. And then I think she'd better go to bed."

"But what about the treatment to-night" asked Mrs. Malplaquet.

Strangwise smiled mysteriously.

"I'm not sure that any further treatment will be required," he
said.

In the meantime, Bellward had leaned over the girl and with a few
passes of his hand had brought her back to consciousness. She sat
up, one hand pressed to her face, and looked about her in a dazed
fashion. On recognizing Desmond she gave a little cry.

"Take her away!" commanded Strangwise.

Bellward had unfastened the ropes binding her feet, and he and
Mrs. Malplaquet between them half-dragged, half-lifted the girl
(for she was scarcely able to walk) from the room.

When the door had closed behind them, Strangwise pointed to a
chair and pulled out his cigarette case. "Sit down, Desmond," he
said, "and let's talk. Will you smoke?"

He held out his case. A cigarette was the one thing for which
Desmond craved. He took one and lit it. Strangwise sat down on
the other side of a curiously carved ebony table, his big
automatic before him.

"I guess you're sharp enough to know when you're beaten,
Desmond," he said. "You've put up a good fight and until this
afternoon you were one up on me. I'll grant you that. And I don't
mind admitting that you've busted up my little organization--for
the present at any rate. But I'm on top now and you're in our
power, old man."

"Well," replied Desmond shortly, "what are you going to do about
it?"

"I'm going to utilize my advantage to the best I know how,"
retorted Strangwise, snapping the words, "that's good strategy,
isn't it, Desmond? That's what Hamley and all the military
writers teach, isn't it? And I'm going to be frank with you. I
suppose you realize that your