hole party gazed for some minutes in silence, making their own
deductions. Then the chief retreated a pace or two and peered into the
alcove.

"_Regardez!_" he said, pointing a significant finger at the narrow
camp-bed with its tumbled army blanket.

Roger looked. The bed still bore the imprint of Esther's body; he felt
that he could almost see her lying there, drugged, helpless. On the
little table was a glass of dusty water and a murderous-looking
hypodermic needle. How in heaven's name had the girl escaped? It was
not yet clear to him, and seemed nothing short of miraculous.

The doors of both cupboards stood open, and sundry rings in the light
coating of grime showed where bottles had recently been displaced.
Suddenly it became clear to Roger that what had occurred was this:
Sartorius, at the first opportunity, as Esther had predicted, had
rushed here to find out what had happened. Seeing the hopeless extent
of the evidence against him, he had relinquished any idea he might have
had of putting up a fight, and had simply decided on the spot to
attempt an escape. He had with great care and forethought erected a
whole structure, complete to the smallest detail; but one single brick
at the base had become loosened, and the entire thing had toppled into
ruins, beyond hope of reconstruction.

Two men remained on guard at the house, while the others returned to
headquarters to make a report, Roger going with them to add his own
statement to theirs. This done, he went to his new quarters in the
hotel, worn out, but realising that he could do nothing more, so might
as well take a rest. He found Dido anxiously awaiting him in the
sitting-room of the suite.

"Esther is asleep at last," she said. "She still doesn't know
anything, though I believe it would be better to tell her when she
wakes up. She heard Aline scream this morning; it woke her up, and
ever since then she has known something happened. She is terribly
nervous, jumps at the slightest noise, and no matter what I say she is
afraid you are running into some sort of danger."

"Is she?"

His eyes brightened for a moment.

"Yes. Do you know, she is really in mortal terror of Dr. Sartorius. I
don't understand exactly why. I haven't allowed her to talk about
things--the doctor said she mustn't--and I've tried too to keep her
from seeing what a shock I've had. Has anything been heard of the
doctor, by the way?"

"Not yet. He has completely vani