though, perhaps you had better tell me exactly why you have an
appointment with Mr. Harrison, from Police Headquarters, at eleven
o'clock to-morrow morning?"

Rentoul was white to the lips.

"I wanted to explain about the wireless," he faltered.

"That sounds very probable," was the contemptuous reply. "What else?"

"Nothing!"

Jocelyn Thew shrugged his shoulders. His victim cowered before
him. For the first time the girl moved. She came a little nearer, and
there was fury in her eyes as she looked down upon the terrified man.

"We could keep him here," she whispered. "Ned Grimes and some of the
others will be in soon. There are plenty of ways of getting rid of him
for a time."

"It wouldn't be worth while," Thew said simply. "One doesn't commit
crimes for such carrion."

Rentoul had struggled into a sitting posture. He was dabbing feebly at
his forehead with an overperfumed handkerchief.

"I wanted to make peace at Headquarters," he whined. "I want to be
left alone. I should not have told them anything."

"That may or may not be," Jocelyn Thew replied. "All that I am fairly