"Bread? Yes. I hope the baker remembered to call. Be awkward if----
Well, come along, Chief, no good letting things get cold."

They passed out of the room and the bolt slammed home.

With a crazy impulse Richard staggered across the floor, seized the
door handle and shook it violently. One of those violent paroxysms of
hunger suddenly possessed him which while they endure are acute agony.
The longing for food gripped at his vitals like an eagle's claw and
drove reasoned action from his head. He knew well enough that there
was no escape to be made through the shuttered windows but ignoring the
knowledge he leapt toward them and seized the iron cross-bar. As he
lifted it from its slot the alarm bell above the frame rang out a fiery
summons.

He fell back a pace beating the air impotently and whining. The door
opened and Blayney and Parker, the two men servants, entered. Parker
placed a tray on the table, then returned to stand in the open doorway.
Blayney, ignoring Richard's presence, replaced the shutter bar in its
old position and the bell stopped ringing. Then he turned and said:

"I shouldn't advise you, to try the window, sir. There's a strong
electric current passes through the catch."

"Thank you," said Richard and slouched despondently toward the table
where his glance fell upon the tray. Whatever victuals had been
provided were concealed beneath a small silver cover but there was a
napkin, a knife and fork and a cruet. On the whole it looked rather
promising. Then suddenly he noticed that the glass beside the plate
contained barely an inch of water.

"I say," he exclaimed, "look! Can't I have a jog of water? There
isn't----"

"Not today, sir," said Blayney.

The very courtesy of the man was an incentive to fury.

"Yes, but----"

"Not today, sir."

Parker in the doorway grinned.

"Don't smirk at me, blast you," said Richard.

Blayney nodded toward the bedroom and changed places with his
companion. When Parker came out he was carrying a great pile of
bedclothes.

"Here, what are you doing? Put 'em down. D'you hear me?"

"My orders were to take them away, sir."

As Laurence had said it was useless to fight against present odds.
Richard shut his teeth tight.

"Obey your orders," he said, but as the door was closing the craving
for drink mastered his pride. "For God's sake," he cried, "for God's
sake give me some more water. I'll give you twenty for a jug of
water--honest I