enough. Hour-hand only--O
Lord!"

We had cut the last strap. He could not stand. We supported him
between us to a horsehair sofa, for the room was furnished, and I
begged him not to speak, while his one-eyed deliverer was at the door
before Raffles recalled him with a sharp word in Italian.

"He wants to get me a drink, but that can wait," said he, in firmer
voice; "I shall enjoy it the more when I've told you what happened.
Don't let him go, Bunny; put your back against the door. He's a
decent soul, and it's lucky for me I got a word with him before they
trussed me up. I've promised to set him up in life, and I will, but I
don't want him out of my sight for the moment."

"If you squared him last night," I exclaimed, "why the blazes didn't he
come to me till the eleventh hour?"

"Ah, I knew he'd have to cut it fine though I hoped not quite so fine
as all that. But all's well that ends well, and I declare I don't feel
so much the worse. I shall be sore about the gills for a bit--and what
do you think?"

He pointed to the long black ruler with the bronze stain; it lay upon
the floor; he held out his hand for it, and I gave it to him.

"The same one I gagged him with," said Raffles, with his still ghastly
smile; "he was a bit of an artist, old Corbucci, after all!"

"Now let's hear how you fell into his clutches," said I, briskly, for I
was as anxious to hear as he seemed to tell me, only for my part I
could have waited until we were safe in the flat.

"I do want to get it off my chest, Bunny," old Raffles admitted, "and
yet I hardly can tell you after all. I followed your friend with the
velvet eyes. I followed him all the way here. Of course I came up to
have a good look at the house when he'd let himself in, and damme if he
hadn't left the door ajar! Who could resist that? I had pushed it
half open and had just one foot on the mat when I got such a crack on
the head as I hope never to get again. When I came to my wits they
were hauling me up to that ring-bolt by the hands, and old Corbucci
himself was bowing to me, but how HE got here I don't know yet."

"I can tell you that," said I, and told how I had seen the Count for
myself on the pavement underneath our windows. "Moreover," I
continued, "I saw him spot you, and five minutes after in Earl's Court
Road I was told he'd driven off in a cab. He would see you following
his man, drive home ahead, and catch you by having the door left ope