showing me that the police were still
utterly at sea as to my whereabouts, I knew that each fresh report
would help to keep George in an acute state of nervous tension.

Just as my imprisonment was becoming almost unbearably irksome, the
end arrived with an unexpected abruptness. I was sitting at the window
one morning smoking an after-breakfast pipe--a pipe which Sonia had
brought me back from Plymouth at the same time as the books--when I
heard a loud ring at the front door-bell, followed by a couple of
sharp knocks. Despite my three years' absence from worldly affairs, I
recognized the unmistakable touch of a telegraph-boy.

Since it was hardly likely that the wire was for me, I continued to
smoke with undisturbed serenity. Perhaps ten minutes passed, and I
was just wondering whether the message had anything to do with the
arrangements which McMurtrie was making on my behalf, when a door
slammed and I heard someone coming up the stairs. I knew from the
sound that it was the doctor himself.

He entered the room, and looked round with his usual suave smile. To
all outward appearance he was as composed as ever, but I had a curious
presentiment that something unexpected had happened. However, I
thought it best to show no sign of any such impression.

"Good-morning," I said, knocking out my pipe and stuffing it away in
my pocket--or rather Savaroff's pocket. "A grand day, isn't it!"

"Beautiful," he answered genially--"quite beautiful." Then he walked
across and sat down on the end of the bed. "As a matter of fact, I
came up to see whether you felt like taking advantage of it."

"Do you mean that it's safe for me to go out?" I asked with some
eagerness.

He shrugged his shoulders. "It's as safe as it ever will be; but I
meant rather more than that."

There was a pause.

"Yes?" I said encouragingly.

"I meant that our preparations are going on so well, that as far as I
can see there is nothing to be gained by keeping you here any longer.
I have just had a wire to say that the cottage and shed we have been
arranging for near Tilbury are practically finished. If you want your
week in London I think you had better go up this afternoon."

His proposal took me so completely by surprise that for a moment I
hardly knew what to say. Somehow or other, I had a suspicion that he
was keeping something back. I knew that he had intended me to stay
where I was for at least another three days, and he was not the sort
of man