had heard enough. Without knowing it, Sir Charles Darryll had been a
rich man. But those miscreants knew it, and that was the reason why they
were working in this strange way. A door closed somewhere and then there
was silence. It was quite evident that Richford had left the house.

A minute or two later and Berrington got his flash signal at work. He
used it over and over again for an hour or so in the hope that the house
was being watched. A great sigh of satisfaction broke from him presently
when he knew the signal was being answered. Once more there was an
irritating delay and then the quick tapping of the reply. Field was not
far off, and Field had grasped the scheme. Also he had to send for
somebody to translate the flashing signs. Berrington understood it now
as well as if he had been outside with the police.

He sent his messages through quickly now, and received his replies as
regularly. Nor did he forget to impart the information he had discovered
relative to the house in Edward Street, Borough. On the whole it had not
been a bad night's work.

A restless desire to be up and doing something gripped Berrington. He
wandered impatiently about the room, listening at the tube from time to
time, in the hope of getting something fresh. Down below he could hear
the sharp purring of the electric bell and the shuffle of Sartoris's
chair over the floor of the hall. Then there was a quick cry which
stopped with startling suddenness, as if a hand had gripped the throat
of somebody who called out with fear.

For a little time after that, silence. Then voices began to boom
downstairs, voices in strange accents that seemed to be demanding
something. Evidently foreigners of some kind, Berrington thought, as he
strained his ears to catch something definite. Sartoris seemed to be
pleading for somebody, and the others were stern and determined. It was
some time before Berrington began to understand what nationality the
newcomers were. A liquid voice was upraised.

"Burmah," Berrington cried. "I thought I knew the tongue. Burmese beyond
a doubt. I wish those fellows would not speak quite so quickly. I wish
that I had learned a little more of the language when I had the
opportunity. Ah, what was that?"

A familiar phrase had struck home to the old campaigner. One of the
newcomers was saying something about rubies. There were ruby mines in
Burmah, some of which had never been explored by white men. Sir Charles
Darryll had been