cance of this nonchalant figure, and passed through the lobby
and up the stairs.

He had left his lights full on for the benefit of watchers, and the
hall-lamp glowed convincingly through the fanlight. Beale's flat was in
darkness, and a slip of paper fastened to the door gave his address.

The doctor let himself into his own rooms, closed the door, switched
out the light and stepped into his bureau.

"Hello," he said angrily, "what are you doing here?--I told you not to
come."

The girl who was sitting at the table and who now rose to meet him was
breathless, and he read trouble in her face. He could have read pride
there, too, that she had so well served the man whom she idolized as a
god.

"I've got him, I've got him, Julius!"

"Got him! Got whom?" he asked, with a frown.

"Beale!" she said eagerly, "the great Beale!"

She gurgled with hysterical laughter.

"He came to me, he was going to arrest me to-night, but I got him."

"Sit down," he said firmly, "and try to be coherent, Hilda. Who came to
you?"

"Beale. He came to my boarding-house and wanted to know where you had
taken Oliva Cresswell. Have you taken her?" she asked earnestly.

"Go on," he said.

"He came to me full of arrogance and threats. He was going to have me
arrested, Julius, because of those letters which I gave you. But I
didn't worry about myself, Julius. It was all for you that I thought.
The thought that you, my dear, great man, should be put in one of these
horrible English prisons--oh, Julius!"

She rose, her eyes filled with tears, but he stood over her, laid his
hands on her shoulders and pressed her back.

"Now, now. You must tell me everything. This is very serious. What
happened then?"

"He wanted me to take him to one of the places."

"One of what places?" he asked quickly.

"I don't know. He only said that he knew that you had other houses--I
don't even know that he said that, but that was the impression that he
gave me, that he knew you were to be found somewhere."

"Go on," said the doctor.

"And so I thought and I thought," said the girl, her hands clasped in
front of her, her eyes looking up into his, "and I prayed God would
give me some idea to help you. And then the scheme came to me, Julius. I
said I would lead him to you."

"You said you would lead him to me?" he said steadily, "and where did
you lead him?"

"To the factory in Paddington," she said.

"There!" he stared at her.

"Wait, wait, wait!"