all,
and you will never get it back. Your offer to betray your
accomplices to me in exchange for the Star of Poland is an empty
one; for your accomplices will be arrested with you. And lastly I
give you my word that I shall make it my personal duty to see
that you are not shot by clean-handed British soldiers, but
strung up by the neck by the common hangman--as the murderer that
you are!"

Strangwise's face underwent an extraordinary change. His suavity
vanished, his easy smile disappeared and he looked balefully
across the table as the other fearlessly confronted him.

"If you are a German, as you seem to be," Desmond went on, "then
I tell you I shall never have guessed it until this interview
between us. But a man who can murder a defenceless old man and
torture a young girl and then propose to sell his pals to a
British officer at the price of that officer's honor can only be
a Hun! And you seem to be a pretty fine specimen of your race!"

Strangwise mastered his rising passion by an obvious effort; but
his face was evil as he spoke.

"I put that Malplaquet woman off by appealing to her avarice," he
said, "I've promised her and Bellward a thousand pounds apiece as
their share of my reward for recovering the jewel. I only have to
say the word, Okewood, and your number's up! And you may as well
know that Bellward will try his hand on you before he kills you.
If that girl had known where the Star of Poland was, Bellward
would have had it out of her! Three times a day he's put her into
the hypnotic sleep. I warn you, you won't like the
interrogatory!"

The door flew open and Bellward came in. He went eagerly to
Strangwise.

"Well, have you got it!" he demanded.

"Have you anything further to say, Desmond?" asked Strangwise.
"Perhaps you would care to reconsider your decisions?"

Desmond shook his head.

"You've had my answer!" he said doggedly.

"Then, my friend," said Strangwise to Bellward, "after dinner you
shall try your hand on this obstinate fool. But first we'll take
him upstairs."

He was close beside Desmond and as he finished speaking he
suddenly caught him by the throat and forced him back into the
chair to which Barbara had been tethered. To struggle was
useless, and Desmond suffered them to bind his arms and feet to
the arms and legs of the chair. Then the two men picked him up,
chair and all, and bore him from the room upstairs to the third
floor. There they carried him into a dark room wh