nd offered to sell him a packet containing a
marriage certificate, a photograph of an old gentleman dipping a sheep,
a peppermint lozenge with "Jess" on it, and various other documents for
a thousand pounds.

"You villain," cried Andrew, "even at the trial I suspected you," and he
rushed at him fiercely.

A desperate struggle ensued. Breaking free for a moment from the
vice-like grip of the other, Jasper leapt with the spring of a panther
at one of the sails of the windmill as it came round, and was whirled
upwards; with the spring of another panther, Andrew leapt on to the next
sail and was whirled after him. At that moment the wind dropped, and the
combatants were suspended in mid-air.

Illustration: The Duel at the Mill.

It was upon this terrible scene that Richard arrived. Already a crowd
was collecting; and, though at present it did not seem greatly alarmed,
feeling convinced that it was only assisting at another cinematograph
rehearsal, its suspicions might at any moment be aroused. With a shout,
he dashed into the mill. Seeing him coming Jasper dropped his revolver
and slid down the sail into the window. In a moment he reappeared at the
door of the mill with Hyacinth under his arm. "Stop him!" cried Richard
from underneath a sack of flour. It was no good. Jasper had leapt with
his fair burden upon the back of his mustang and was gone....

The usual pursuit followed.

IV.

It was the gala night at the Royal Circus. Ricardo Harringtoni, the
wonderful new acrobat of whom everybody was talking, stood high above
the crowd on his platform. His marvellous performance on the swinging
horizontal bar was about to begin. Richard Harrington (for it was he)
was troubled. Since he had entered on his new profession--as a disguise
from the police who were still searching for him--he had had a vague
suspicion that the lion-tamer was dogging him. _Who was the lion-tamer?_
Could it be Jasper?

At that moment the band struck up and Richard leapt lightly on to the
swinging bar. With a movement full of grace he let go of the bar and
swung on to the opposite platform. And then, even as he was in mid-air,
he realized what was happening.

Illustration: An Awkward Moment for Richard.

Jasper had let the lion loose!

_It was waiting for him._

With a gasping cry Ricardo Harrington fainted.

V.

When he recovered consciousness, Richard found himself on the S.S.
_Boracic_, which was forging her way through the--

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