hat night a carriage would be in
waiting to bring me here. It was midnight when we arrived, and we were
brought in by strange ways to this house, with no light but a single
candle. Here we were welcomed indeed, but by an enemy."

"Which?" asked Heritage. "Dobson or Lean or Spittal?"

"Dobson I do not know. Leon was there. He is no Russian, but a
Belgian who was a valet in my father's service till he joined the
Bolsheviki. Next day the Lett Spidel came, and I knew that I was in
very truth entrapped. For of all our enemies he is, save one, the most
subtle and unwearied."

Her voice had trailed off into flat weariness. Again Dickson was
reminded of a child, for her arms hung limp by her side; and her slim
figure in its odd clothes was curiously like that of a boy in a school
blazer. Another resemblance perplexed him. She had a hint of
Janet--about the mouth--Janet, that solemn little girl those twenty
years in her grave.

Heritage was wrinkling his brows. "I don't think I quite understand.
The jewels? You have them with you?"

She nodded.

"These men wanted to rob you. Why didn't they do it between here and
Auchenlochan? You had no chance to hide them on the journey. Why did
they let you come here where you were in a better position to baffle
them?"

She shook her head. "I cannot explain--except, perhaps, that Spidel
had not arrived that night, and Leon may have been waiting
instructions."

The other still looked dissatisfied. "They are either clumsier
villains than I take them to be, or there is something deeper in the
business than we understand. These jewels--are they here?"

His tone was so sharp that she looked startled--almost suspicious. Then
she saw that in his face which reassured her. "I have them hidden
here. I have grown very skilful in hiding things."

"Have they searched for them?"

"The first day they demanded them of me. I denied all knowledge. Then
they ransacked this house--I think they ransack it daily, but I am too
clever for them. I am not allowed to go beyond the verandah, and when
at first I disobeyed there was always one of them in wait to force me
back with a pistol behind my head. Every morning Leon brings us food
for the day--good food, but not enough, so that Cousin Eugenie is
always hungry, and each day he and Spidel question and threaten me.
This afternoon Spidel has told me that their patience is at an end. He
has given me till tomorrow at noon to produce