eed never
know. With a forced smile he bowed Jasper out, placed the packet in his
safe and returned to his desk.

Illustration: The Theft.

But his mysterious visitor was not done with yet. As soon as the door
had closed behind him Jasper re-entered softly, drugged Andrew hastily,
and took possession again of the compromising documents. By the time Mr.
Bellingham had regained his senses the thief was away. A hue-and-cry was
raised, police whistles were blown, and Richard Harrington, Mr.
Bellingham's private secretary, was smartly arrested.

At the trial things looked black against Richard. He was poor and he
was in love with Hyacinth; the chain of evidence was complete. In spite
of his impassioned protest from the dock, in spite of Hyacinth's
dramatic swoon in front of the solicitors' table, the judge with great
solemnity passed sentence of twenty years' penal servitude. A loud
"Hear, hear" from the gallery rang through the court, and, looking up,
Mr. Bellingham caught the sardonic eye of the mysterious Jasper.

II.

Richard had been in prison a month before the opportunity for his escape
occurred. For a month he had been hewing stone in Portland, black
despair at his heart. Then, like lightning, he saw his chance and took
it. The warders were off guard for a moment. Hastily lifting his
pickaxe----

[MANAGER. _Sorry, but it's a spade in the only prison film we've
got._]

Hastily borrowing a spade from a comrade who was digging potatoes, he
struck several of his gaolers down, and, dodging the shots of others who
hurried to the scene, he climbed the prison wall and dashed for freedom.

Illustration: The Escape.

Reaching Weymouth at nightfall, he made his way to the house which
Hyacinth had taken in order to be near him, and, suitably disguised,
travelled up to London with her in the powerful motor which she had kept
ready. "At last, my love, we are together," he murmured as they neared
Wimbledon. But he had spoken a moment too soon. An aeroplane swooped
down upon them, and Hyacinth was snatched from his arms and disappeared
with her captors into the clouds.

Illustration: The Abduction.

III.

Richard's first act on arriving in London was to go to Mr. Bellingham's
house. Andrew was out, but a note lying on his study carpet, "_Meet me
at the Old Windmill to-night_," gave him a clue. On receipt of this note
Andrew had gone to the _rendezvous_, and it was no surprise to him when
Jasper stepped out a