g. A door somewhere at the back of the house opened--and shut
again. Some one was coming along the passage toward us!

"Stand back!" Smith's voice was low, but perfectly steady. "Leave it to
me!"

Nearer came the footsteps and nearer. I could hear suppressed sobs. The
door opened, admitting again the faint light--and Karamaneh came in. The
place was quite unfurnished, offering no possibility of hiding; but to
hide was unnecessary.

Her slim figure had not crossed the threshold ere Smith had his arm
about the girl's waist and one hand clapped to her mouth. A stifled gasp
she uttered, and he lifted her into the room.

I stepped forward and closed the door. A faint perfume stole to my
nostrils--a vague, elusive breath of the East, reminiscent of strange
days that, now, seemed to belong to a remote past. Karamaneh! that
faint, indefinable perfume was part of her dainty personality; it may
appear absurd--impossible--but many and many a time I had dreamt of it.

"In my breast pocket," rapped Smith; "the light."

I bent over the girl as he held her. She was quite still, but I could
have wished that I had had more certain mastery of myself. I took the
torch from Smith's pocket, and, mechanically, directed it upon the
captive.

She was dressed very plainly, wearing a simple blue skirt, and white
blouse. It was easy to divine that it was she whom Eltham had mistaken
for a French maid. A brooch set with a ruby was pinned at the point
where the blouse opened--gleaming fierily and harshly against the soft
skin. Her face was pale and her eyes wide with fear.

"There is some cord in my right-hand pocket," said Smith; "I came
provided. Tie her wrists."

I obeyed him, silently. The girl offered no resistance, but I think
I never essayed a less congenial task than that of binding her white
wrists. The jeweled fingers lay quite listlessly in my own.

"Make a good job of it!" rapped Smith, significantly.

A flush rose to my cheeks, for I knew well enough what he meant.

"She is fastened," I said, and I turned the ray of the torch upon her
again.

Smith removed his hand from her mouth but did not relax his grip of her.
She looked up at me with eyes in which I could have sworn there was no
recognition. But a flush momentarily swept over her face, and left it
pale again.

"We shall have to--gag her--"

"Smith, I can't do it!"

The girl's eyes filled with tears and she looked up at my companion
pitifully.

"Please don't