e was being crushed out of him.

He closed the door behind him, and immediately Henson sat up in bed. He
reached for his handkerchief and wiped the big beads from his forehead.

"So the danger has come at last," he muttered. "I am face to face with
it, and I knew I should be. Hatherly Bell is not the man to quietly lie
down under a cloud like that. The man has brains, and patience, and
indomitable courage. Now, does he suspect that I have any hand in the
business? I must see him when my nerves are stronger and try and get at
the truth. If he goes to Lord Littimer with that picture he shakes my
power and my position perilously. What a fool I was not to get it away.
But, then, I only escaped from the Brighton police in those days by the
skin of my teeth. And they had followed me from Huddersfield like those
cursed bloodhounds here. I wonder--"

He paused, as the brilliant outline of some cunning scheme occurred to
him. A thin, cruel smile crept over his lips. Never had he been in a
tight place yet without discovering a loophole of escape almost before he
had seen the trap.

A fit of noiseless laughter shook him.

"Splendid," he whispered. "Worthy of Machiavelli himself! Provided always
that I can get there first. If I could only see Bell's face afterwards,
hear Littimer ordering him off the premises. The only question is, am I
up to seeing the thing through?"

CHAPTER XXIV

ENID LEARNS SOMETHING

Reginald Hensen struggled out of bed and into his clothing as best he
could. He was terribly weak and shaky, far more weak than he had imagined
himself to be, but he was in danger now, and his indomitable will-power
pulled him through. What a fool Littimer had been to tell him so much
merely so that he might triumph over his powerful foe for a few minutes.
But Henson was planning a little scheme by which he intended to repay the
young man tenfold. He had no doubt as to the willingness of his tool.

He took a bottle of brandy from a drawer and helped himself to a liberal
dose. Walker had expressly forbidden anything of the kind, but it was no
time for nice medical obedience. The grateful stimulant had its
immediate effect. Then Henson rang the bell, and after a time Williams
appeared tardily.

"You are to go down to Barnes and ask him to send a cab here as soon as
possible," Henson said. "I have to go to London by the first train in
the morning."

Williams nodded, with his mouth wide open. He was astonished an