at the feet of the detective, who promptly sat on him and pinioned his
arms behind him.

"How dare you lay a finger upon this lady?" said Tryon Dunham, as he
stepped to the side of his wife and put a strong arm about her, where she
stood white and frightened in the doorway.

No one had noticed that the bell-boy had come to the head of the stairs
and received a quiet order from the detective.

In sudden fear, the discomfited Richard arose and attempted to bluff the
stranger who had so unwarrantly interfered just as his fingers were about
to close over the golden treasure of his cousin's fortune.

"Indeed, sir, you wholly misunderstand the situation," he said to Dunham,
with an air of injured innocence, "though perhaps you can scarcely be
blamed. This girl is an escaped lunatic. We have been searching for her
for days, and have just traced her. It is our business to take her back at
once. Her friends are in great distress about her. Moreover, she is
dangerous and a menace to every guest in this house. She has several times
attempted murder----"

"Stop!" roared Dunham, in a thunderous voice of righteous anger. "She is
my wife. And you are her cousin. I know all about your plot to shut her up
in an insane asylum and steal her fortune. I have found you sooner than I
expected, and I intend to see that the law takes its full course with
you."

Two policemen now arrived on the scene, with a number of eager bell-boys
and porters in their wake, ready to take part in the excitement.