neral Gastang and Countess de la Moray. There is the
scoundrel Stephen Richford who tricked Beatrice Darryll into marrying
him, and then there is also a ruffian called Dr. James Bentwood. What
was that?"

"It seemed to me like a cry of pain," Mary Sartoris said in a frozen
whisper.

It was very like a cry of pain indeed, a fluttering, feeble cry ending
in a moaning protest. Acting on the impulse of the moment, and
forgetting Inspector Field altogether, Berrington crossed the hall and
laid his hand on the knob of the door. Mary Sartoris darted after him,
her face white with fear, and terror and anxiety in her accent.

"Don't do it," she said, "pray restrain yourself. There are mysteries
here, strange, horrible mysteries that come from the East, of which you
know nothing, despite the years you have passed in India. Oh, the danger
that lies there!"

In spite of his courage, Berrington hesitated. He might have recovered
his self-possession and returned to the drawing-room, only the strange
feeble cry of pain was raised again. It was more than flesh and blood
could stand, and in a sudden passion Berrington opened the door. He
would have entered resolutely, but Mary pulled him back.

"The mischief has been done," she said hurriedly. "If anyone has to
suffer let it be me. I have brought you to this pass and I must get you
out as best I can. Carl, what is this?"

The girl thrust herself past Berrington who stood in the shade of the
doorway. There was a sudden snarling, with a cry from the girl, as a
blow tingled on her cheek. Somebody laughed as if approving this
cowardly business.

With a cry of rage Berrington darted into the room. Instantly a pair of
strong hands were laid on him and he was borne backwards. Just for a
moment he lashed out freely and successfully and then the weight of
numbers was too much for him. The dining-room door was closed again.

CHAPTER XVIII

Inspector Field swore a good round oath under his breath. He had not
looked for an insane folly like this from a well-trained officer who
might have been expected to keep his feelings in check. But, as Field
sadly reflected, it was useless to anticipate anything rational when a
woman came into the case.

Everything had been going beautifully and smoothly a few minutes ago,
and now the plot was ruined. Field was anything but a timid man, he had
been in too many tight places in his life to know the meaning of the
word timidity, but then he ha