u knew as Harriman, and
whose real name was Bell--now at Devil's Island for the murder of the
rising young English parliamentary Under-Secretary Ronald Burke. The
murder was believed to have been committed with a political motive,
and through certain false evidence furnished by the man Pennington, a
person named Louis Lessar, chief of the band, was first arrested, and
condemned by the Assize Court of the Seine. Both were sent to Devil's
Island for life, but recently Lessar escaped, and was daring enough to
come to England as Mr. Lewis."

"Lewis!" I gasped. "That was the fellow with whom my wife escaped--the
man who presided over the secret deliberations of the gang at their
assembly at Stamford!"

"Yes. Once a British officer, he had been leader of the great criminal
organization before his arrest. They were the most formidable in
Europe, for they always acted on scientific principles, and always
well provided with funds. Some of their coups were utterly amazing.
But on his arrest and imprisonment the society dwindled under the
leadership of Pennington, a low-bred blackguard, who could not even be
loyal to his associates."

"Excuse me, sir," remarked the sergeant, again shown into the room by
Browning. "Our C.I.D. men have been at work all day in the garden
behind that house in Porchester Terrace. A big hole was found dug
there, and already they've turned up the remains of two persons--a
man and a woman. I ought to have told you that we had it over the
telegraph at the station about an hour ago. Superintendent Mayhew and
Professor Salt have been there to examine the remains recovered."

"Two victims!" I exclaimed. "The open grave found there was prepared
for me!"

"No doubt," exclaimed Guertin. "When I first communicated with your
Scotland Yard, they refused to believe my allegations against Reckitt
and Forbes. But I had had my suspicions aroused by their actions in
Paris, and I was positive. But oh! your police methods are so very
painfully slow!"

Then the sergeant again withdrew.

"But of Pennington. Tell me more of him," I urged.

"He was your worst enemy, and Sylvia's enemy also, even though he
posed as her father. He wished her to marry Forbes, and thus, on
account of her great beauty, remain the decoy of the gang. But she met
you, and loved you. Her love for you was the cause of their hatred.
Because of her affection, she risked her life by revealing to me
certain things concerning her associates, whom