us leave them out of the question. What I
desire to know is the whereabouts of my wife."

He shrugged his broad shoulders.

"I regret that I have no knowledge of where madame may be."

"But you have!" I cried, facing him angrily. "She is probably with
Pennington, her father, who seems to be one of your undesirable
fraternity."

"No, she is not with him, most certainly," my visitor declared. "I
know that for a fact. She is probably with Lewis."

"And who is this fellow Lewis?" I demanded.

For a moment he was silent.

"I think you had better ask madame, your wife," he replied at last.

"Do you intend to cast a slur upon her?" I cried, facing him
resentfully.

"Not in the least," was his cool answer. "I have merely replied to
your question."

"And have given me most impertinent advice! Will you, or will you not,
tell me who the fellow is?"

"At present, monsieur, I must refuse."

"Then I shall press the bell, and give you into custody."

"Ah!" he laughed, "that will be distinctly amusing."

"For me, perhaps--not for you."

"Monsieur is at liberty to act as he deems best," said my visitor.

Therefore, irritated by the fellow's manner, and in the hope that he
would at the eleventh hour relent, I pressed the bell.

It rang loudly, and I heard old Browning go to the telephone beneath
the stairs. In a few minutes the constable would arrive, and at least
one member of the dangerous gang would be secured.

"Perhaps you will let me pass," he said, crossing towards the door
immediately after I had rung the bell. But I placed myself against it,
revolver in hand, preventing him and holding him at bay.

"Very well," he laughed. "I fear, Mr. Biddulph, that you are not
acting judiciously. You refuse to accept my statement that I am here
as your friend!"

"Because you, on your part, refuse to reply to my questions."

But he only shrugged his shoulders again without replying.

"You know quite well where my wife is."

"Alas! I do not," the fellow declared emphatically. "It was to obtain
information that I called."

"You cannot deny that you know that pair of criminals, Reckitt and
Forbes?"

"I have surely not denied knowledge of them!"

"Yet you refuse to tell me who this man is who enticed my wife from my
side--the man who presided over that secret council at the George
Hotel at Stamford!"

"I am prepared to be frank with you in return for your frankness,
monsieur," he answered.

But I saw in his eva