first one thing and then another--but subtly,
so that his captors probably didn't realize he was only telling them
what they could find in any library.

* * * * *

The party entered a large room, furnished with wealth and taste, lined
with bookshelves. Dalgetty noticed an intricate Chinese chess set on
the desk. So Bancroft or Meade played chess--that was something they
had in common, at least, on this night of murder.

Tighe looked up from the armchair. A couple of guards stood behind
him, their arms folded, but he ignored them. "Hello, son," he
murmured. There was pain in his eyes. "Are you all right?"

Dalgetty nodded mutely. There was no way to signal the Englishman, no
way to let him hope.

Bancroft stepped over to the door and locked it. He gestured at the
guards, who spread themselves around the walls, their guns aimed
inward. He was shaking ever so faintly and his eyes glittered as with
fever. "Sit down," he said. "_There!_"

Dalgetty took the indicated armchair. It was deep and soft. It would
be hard to spring out of quickly. Elena took a seat opposite him,
poised on its edge, the tommy-gun in her lap. It was suddenly very
still in the room.

Bancroft went over to the desk and fumbled with a humidor. He didn't
look up. "So you caught him," he said.

"Yes," replied Elena. "After he caught me first."

"How did you--turn the tables?" Bancroft took out a cigar and bit the
end off savagely. "What happened?"

"I was in a cave, resting," she said tonelessly. "He rose out of the
water and grabbed me. He'd been hiding underneath longer than anybody
would have thought possible. He forced me out to a rock in the bay
there--you know it? We hid till sundown, when he opened up on your men
on that beach. He killed them all.

"I'd been tied but I'd managed to rub the strips loose. It was just a
piece off his shirt he tied me with. While he was shooting I grabbed a
stone and clipped him behind the ear. I dragged him to shore while he
was still out, took one of the guns lying there and marched him here."

"Good work." Bancroft inhaled raggedly. "I'll see that you get a
proper bonus for this, Elena. But what else? You said...."

"Yes." Her gaze was steady on him. "We talked, out there in the bay.
He wanted to convince me I should help him. Tom--he isn't human."

"Eh?" Bancroft's heavy form jerked. With an effort he steadied
himself. "What do you mean?"

"That muscular strength and