er another word. There you have it."

I stared at him in astonishment. Was it possible that this
cold-blooded creature could harbor an emotion as fiery as hatred?

"What have you against Maillot?" I sternly asked, after a pause.

His bloodless upper lip, thin and flexible, curled in a smile; there
was a momentary flash of his teeth.

"You 're a detective," he said; "find out."

I pondered, still regarding him.

"So," said I at last, "it's to be warfare between you and me, is it?
Very well. Take care, Burke, for I do mean to find out. And I promise
you that when I do you 'll get all you have coming to you."

He knew that I was more or less at sea; he had divined that in my own
mind I had already cleared him of the actual murder.

"Thank you," he now had the impudence to say suavely. "Forewarned is
forearmed, you know."

"You get out of here, Burke," I said, without heat, eying him steadily.

"Do you mean," he asked quickly, "that I 'm not to have an opportunity
to ascertain whether I left any of my possessions here?" I fancied
that he was disconcerted.

"I mean that I have n't any time to waste on you," I replied, evenly.
"I 'm busy now; but I 'll take care of you when the time comes. If you
want to go to any other part of the house, be quick about it."

Again his voice dropped.

"You intend to go with me--I see. I 'm not to be trusted. I 'll
submit to no such indignity."

"Just as you choose."

He moved over to the door. There was no use questioning him further,
because all his defences were up. But I watched him steadily--as I
would have watched any other dangerous animal that I was not at liberty
to crush.

At the door he paused and looked back; for the briefest instant his
restless glance lingered upon an indefinable point up the stair-well.
So thereabouts lay the centre of interest, did it?

The door was open; he turned again to me.

"I'll go," he said, "and--"

"And you need not come back," I broke in curtly. "This house will not
be unguarded for one second until the ruby is found."

I felt, rather than saw, that the blank eyes flashed venomously.

"You devil!" he hissed, slipping hastily through the narrow
aperture--"you devil!"

Next instant he was gone. And I drew a great breath of relief.

When I turned round Miss Cooper was advancing from the library, her
eyes bright with suppressed excitement.

"What a horrid creature!" exclaimed she. "I heard all, Mr. Swift; no
wo