ahead, and he felt that
he was on the point of being discovered. But the work went on again,
and he glanced round, found that he was in the butler's pantry, and saw
at the same instant more--the tightly-bound woman upon the table.

He was at her side in an instant, and as he bent over her the wild eyes
were opened and gazed intently in his.

There was no occasion for him to raise his finger to his lips, for the
old housekeeper, as the tapping went on, gave him a meaning look and
jerked her head side-wise, before lying perfectly still again.

The professor nodded sharply, tapped his breast, and then drew a
pen-knife from his pocket, with whose keen blade he quickly divided the
rope which bound hands and feet. Then, pressing his finger to his lips
once more, he went silently out of the pantry, followed by the
housekeeper's eyes, as breathing hard she watched him and then lay
perfectly still with her face contracted by pain and dread, waiting for
the denouement.

It was long in coming, for the professor's movements were slow and
cautious in the extreme. But there was to be no more retreat. He did
not know who were there for some time, but he was ready to meet the
enemy, whoever it might be.

At last he was in a position from which he could peer round the angle
where the passage turned sharply, and as he gazed into the lobby a few
yards off, where Roach directed the light of the bull's-eye lantern with
quivering hand, his own trembled and the revolver he held shook when it
was raised again and again to take aim.

At last a grim smile of satisfaction tightened his lips into a line, for
he saw his opportunity.

In the very nick of time, after stealing close up, he threw himself
forward, and with one heavy thrust drove the butler forward over his
companion, banged to the door and locked it, bringing out the key,
before he retreated and turned the corner to listen for the explosion
which did not come.

"Light went out, I suppose," he muttered. "Pity too. Pleasanter for
others, and it would have been accidental."

He thrust back the revolver, placed the key in his pocket, and without
stopping hurried into the pantry.

"Got them--safe," he said, and ran upstairs to the handsome library,
where he unlocked a cabinet, touched a button and waited for a minute,
before a little weird voice answered--

"Who is it?"

He gave his number to the questioner, and asked to be switched on to
X987654321.

In a few minute