f his own
defection he felt sure. For, looked at by the light of the event of that
afternoon, the inactivity of Bhagwan Singh's agent seemed ominously
sinister--the more so as it was entirely problematical.

If Nugent had played the obvious card of revealing what he knew about
the meeting on the marsh arranged between Levison and Leslie, the latter
would almost certainly have been arrested, and so had his wings clipped
for further opposition to Nugent's plans. But this obvious and drastic
course would have laid Nugent's flank open to the counter-attack of full
confession by a desperate man, and he had been far too cunning to run
that risk. No, he must be working by subtler and more tortuous methods
towards the attainment of his purpose--the embarkation of Violet Maynard
on board the turbine yacht _Cobra_.

Leslie gave his antagonist full credit for cold calculation of all the
chances. He was under no illusion as to the apparent complaisance with
which his rebellion had been accepted, and as to Nugent's quiescence in
the matter of Levison's murder. He was assured that he was only sitting
there at liberty because he was of more use to Mr. Travers Nugent in the
freedom of that comfortable room than he would have been in a cell at
the police-station charged with murder.

Rising from his chair with a sudden impulse, Leslie knocked the ashes
out of his pipe. As always happens to the man in love, he had persuaded
himself that the wisest course to pursue was the one which jumped with
his inclinations.

"I will force his hand," he said half aloud. "I will spend all the time
I can with Violet, and I will begin at once. My constant presence will
be the best safeguard she can have."

Mounting his bicycle, he made short work of the two miles to the lodge
gates of the Manor House, and as luck would have it whom should he see
coming towards him along the drive but Violet herself. She was looking
deliciously cool and dainty in a coat and skirt of white drill, which
set off her tall, graceful figure to perfection. Leslie's pulses
quickened at sight of the pleased surprise and heightened colour in her
face as she saw him.

"I didn't expect you to-day," she said, when he had jumped off his
machine. "I thought that you would be kept by that horrid affair in the
town, but I suppose you couldn't shed any light on it."

"It was soon over--adjourned for a week," replied Leslie. "As I was able
to get away, I saw no reason why this shoul