carpet, consequently he was in one of the best rooms in the house. The
atmosphere of this room was penetrated with a very faint aroma of
pot-pourri, so faint that unless Captain Ducie's nose had been more than
ordinarily keen he would never have perceived it. To the best of his
knowledge there was only one room in Bon Repos that was permeated with
the peculiar scent of pot-pourri. That room was M. Platzoff's private
study, to which access was obtained through his bed-room. Ducie had been
only twice into this room, but he remembered two facts in connection
with it. First, the scent already spoken of; secondly, that besides the
door which opened into it from the bed-room, there was another door
which he had noticed as being shut and locked both times that he was
there. If the room in which they now were was really M. Platzoff's
study, they had probably obtained access to it through the second door.

While silently revolving these thoughts in his mind, Captain Ducie's
fingers were busy with the formation of two tiny paper pellets, each no
bigger than a pea. Unseen by Platzoff, he contrived to drop these
pellets on the carpet.

"I must really apologise," said the Russian, next moment, "for keeping
you waiting so long; but this lamp will not burn properly."

"Don't hurry yourself on my account," said Ducie. "I am quite jolly. My
eyes are ready bandaged; I am only waiting for the axe and the block."

"We are not going to dispose of you in quite so summary a fashion," said
the Russian. "One minute more and your eyesight shall be restored to
you."

Ducie's quick ears caught a low click, as though someone had touched a
spring. Then there was a faint rumbling, as though something were being
rolled back on hidden wheels.

"Lend me your hand again, and bend that tall figure of yours. Step
carefully. There is another staircase to descend--the last and the
steepest of all."

Keeping fast hold of Platzoff's hand, Ducie followed slowly and
cautiously, counting the steps as he went down. They were of stone, and
were twenty-two in number. At the bottom of the staircase another door
was unlocked. The two passed through, and the door was shut and relocked
behind them.

"Be blind no longer!" said Platzoff, taking off the handkerchief and
handing it to Ducie, with a smile. A few seconds elapsed before the
latter could discern anything clearly. Then he saw that he was in a
small vaulted chamber about seven feet in height, with a flag