trouble you to stand up for a moment, Mr. Lassen."

The man did as he was bid and Bellamy felt him all over. When he
had finished, he held in his hand a key.

"The key of Mademoiselle's chamber, I have no doubt," he announced,
"I will leave you, then, while I see what deviltry you have been
up to."

He walked calmly to the table which stood by the window and
deliberately cut the telephone wire. With the instrument under his
arm, he left the room. Lassen blundered to his feet as though to
intercept him, but Bellamy's eyes suddenly flashed red fury, and
the life-preserver of which he had spoken glittered above his head.
Lassen staggered away.

"I'm a long-suffering man," Bellamy said, "and if you don't remember
now that you're the beaten dog, I may lose my temper."

He locked them in, walked down the passage and opened the door of
Louise's bedchamber with fingers that trembled a little. With a
smothered oath he cut the cord from the arms of the maid and the
gag from her mouth. Louise, clad in a loose afternoon gown, was
lying upon the bed, as though asleep. Bellamy saw with an impulse
of relief that she was breathing regularly.

"This is Lassen's work, of course!" he exclaimed. "What have they
done to her?"

The maid spoke thickly. She was very pale, and unsteady upon her