torcycle;
for he surely would have known that the villa would be the first
place to which the police would follow him up.

Desmond saw a little ray of hope. If--it was a very big
if--Bellward's flight were discovered promptly, the police might
be expected to reach the Mill House very soon behind him.
Bellward must have come straight there; for he had not even taken
the very elementary precaution of shaving off his beard. That
made Desmond think that he must have escaped some time that
evening after the barbers' shops were closed.

With thumping heart, with bated breath, he waited for what was to
come. In a very little while, he told himself, the truth must
come out. His only chance was to try and bluff his way out of
this appalling dilemma and above all, at all costs--this was the
essential fact which, he told himself, he must keep steadfastly
before his eyes--not to lose sight of Mortimer whatever happened.

Bellward's voice--and its tones showed Desmond what an
accomplished mime Crook had been--broke the silence.

"I have nothing to explain," he said, turning from the sofa where
he had been exchanging a few words in an undertone with Mrs.
Malplaquet, "this is my house. That is sufficient explanation for
my presence here, I imagine. But I confess I am curious to know
what this person"--he indicated Desmond--"is doing in my clothes,
if I mistake not, giving what I take to be a very successful
impersonation of myself."

Then Desmond stepped boldly out of the shadow into the circle of
light thrown by the lamp.

"I don't know what you all think," he said firmly, "but it seems
to me singularly unwise for us to stand here gossiping when there
is a stranger amongst us. I fail to understand the motive of this
gentleman in breaking into my house by my private door, wearing
my clothes, if I am to believe my eyes; but I clearly realize the
danger of admitting strangers to a gathering of this kind."

"Quite right," agreed Behrend, nodding his head in assent.

"You have had one singular surprise to-night already," Desmond
resumed, "in the matter of the jewel which our respected leader
was about to show us: if you recollect, our friend was only
prevented from giving us the explanation which he certainly owed
us over his little hoax by the arrival, the most timely arrival,
of his confederate..."

"Confederate?" shouted Mortimer, "what the devil do you mean by
that?"

"Yes, confederate," Desmond repeated. "Max, Behrend,