ir, and you
shall be released."

"When?" demanded Doctor Brudenell.

"When we have done what we have to do. Until then, silence!"

Again the footsteps and the light withdrew, and the Doctor was left in
absolute silence and complete darkness, to fight as well as he could
with his sense of utter helplessness and the violent beating of his
heart. The struggle lasted only for a short time as he found out
afterward, but in the passing it seemed an age. Then the pale gleam of
light crept again beneath the door, and there came the sound of
footsteps; the two men had returned. He could hear that they were
raising a heavy body with painful difficulty, for there were low moans
and one deep groan--they were moving the almost dying man.

Another and longer interval of profound darkness, of brooding silence
followed, until the footsteps again returned, the door was thrown open,
and he stepped out, dazed by the light, feeble as it was. The lamp was
held by the man with the scar on his cheek, the couch upon which the
wounded man had lain was empty; a faint trace of light shone through
the chinks of the crazy shutters--it was almost morning.

"You are free, sir," said his captor calmly and in a tone of perfect
indifference, cutting short the useless words of wrath and indignation
which fell from the Doctor's lips. "Go, and hasten, if you please; the
night is nearly over! The carriage in which you came waits."

"I shall not use it; I will go alone, and on foot." He stepped toward
the door, anxious just then for nothing except to get free of the
detested house, but, as before, the man's hand was brought down upon
his shoulder.

"Your pardon, sir--you will go as you came, and with the same
companion. You need not fear--no harm of any kind will be done you. I
have pledged my word that you shall depart as you came, and I will keep
it. Good! Depart then, if you please."

Realizing the utter futility of lingering or speaking, Doctor Brudenell
was prudent. He obeyed without remonstrance or delay. He mounted the
stairs, crossed the bare hall, and left the house. In a moment his arm
was seized by the younger man, he was hustled into the carriage which
had brought him, and driven off at a pace so swift that he had the
sense at once to abandon the design of leaping out which he had hastily
formed. But that would have been impossible had the vehicle moved
slowly, for the eyes of his companion were keenly on the alert, as he
could not fail