ession now. If he only
knew, if he only had a hint of its existence, I fear my scheme would
fail. As it is, it will succeed. And now," he said with a smile, "time
is short and your preparations must be of the briefest. I will save you
the trouble of asking questions by telling you that I am going to take
you along with me. I certainly cannot afford to leave you. Get your
coat."

With a shrug she walked past him to the bedroom and he followed.

"Are we going far?" she asked.

There was no tremor in her voice and she felt remarkably self-possessed.

"That you will discover," said he.

"I am not asking out of idle curiosity, but I want to know whether I
ought to take a bag."

"Perhaps it would be better," he said.

She carried the little attache case back to the sitting-room.

"You have no objection to my taking a little light reading-matter?" she
asked contemptuously. "I am afraid you are not a very entertaining
companion, Dr. van Heerden."

"Excellent girl," said van Heerden cheerfully. "Take anything you like."

She slipped a book from the shelf and nearly betrayed herself by an
involuntary exclamation as she felt its weight.

"You are not very original in your methods," she said, "this is the
second time you have spirited me off."

"The gaols of England, as your new-found friend Milsom will tell you,
are filled with criminals who departed from the beaten tracks," said van
Heerden. "Walk out into the corridor and turn to the right. I will be
close behind you. A little way along you will discover a narrow passage
which leads to the service staircase. Go down that. I am sure you
believe me when I say that I will kill you if you attempt to make any
signal or scream or appeal for help."

She did not answer. It was because of this knowledge and this fear,
which was part of her youthful equipment--for violent death is a very
terrible prospect to the young and the healthy--that she obeyed him at
all.

They walked down the stone stairs, through an untidy, low-roofed lobby,
redolent of cooking food, into the street, without challenge and without
attracting undue notice.

Van Heerden's car was waiting at the end of the street, and she thought
she recognized the chauffeur as Bridgers.

"Once more we ride together," said van Heerden gaily, "and what will be
the end of this adventure for you depends entirely upon your
loyalty--what are you opening your bag for?" he asked, peering in the
dark.

"I am looking fo