amed. From somewhere upstairs came a sound as if somebody was
gently filing some soft metal. The noise ceased presently to be followed
by the rattle of a typewriter, or so it seemed. The two adventurers
stood in the darkness of the dining-room listening; it seemed to them as
if that rattle was getting closer. Field flashed a light into the room,
but it was quite empty; the polished mahogany of the table reflected the
flowers on it.

Then suddenly the rattle grew louder, and Field hid his light under the
slide. As suddenly as his light had faded out, the dining-room glowed in
a perfect bank of shaded yellow light, as if by magic the table stood
with a perfect meal, a dainty cold supper with glass and silver and
crystal and gold-topped bottles upon it; the whole thing seemed a most
wonderful piece of conjuring. At the same instant there was the rattle
of a latch-key in the front door. Field pulled his companion into the
darkness of the drawing-room doorway. A man came in, peeled off his
coat, and entered the dining-room. Field gasped.

"What is the matter?" Berrington asked. "Do you know who it is?"

"Rather," Field replied, "I should say that I do. Why! that's no other
than the Rajah of Ahbad! Well, if this doesn't beat all!"

CHAPTER XV

Used as he was to quick scenes and dramatic changes, Berrington was
surprised for the moment. The thing was like some bewildering Eastern
vision. A moment ago the place had been dull and dark, and now like a
flash, warmth and light were there, to say nothing of the tasteful
extravagance of the supper-table. Berrington could see the fruit and the
flowers, the dainty confections and the costly wines. How had the thing
been managed?

But it was no moment to speculate about that. So far it merely tended to
prove the almost diabolical cleverness of the people with whom the
police had to deal. The Rajah himself could be seen standing moodily in
the doorway chewing a cigar between his strong, yellow teeth. Berrington
observed him very carefully.

As one who knew India, Berrington was in a position to judge the man
fairly well. As a matter of fact, the newcomer did not look in the least
like an Eastern potentate. True, his skin was dark, but not more sallow
than that of many a European. His hair was thick, but his eyes were dark
blue, and his dress was eminently that of a man about town. With his
public school and University education, the Rajah had passed for an
Englishman.