Page:Guy Boothby--A Bid for Fortune.djvu/230

220 "Did ever man hear such a cool proposition? Naturally I declined to do as he wished.

"'You must drink it!' he reiterated. 'Pray do so at once. I have no time to waste bandying words with you.'

"'I will not drink it!' I cried, rising to my feet, and prepared to make a fight for it if need should be.

"Once more those eyes grew terrible, and once more that hand began to make the passes before my face. Again I felt the dizziness stealing over me. His will was getting too strong for me again. I could not resist him. So when he once more said 'Drink!' I took the glass and did as I was ordered. After that I remember seeing Nikola, Draper, and the man they called Eastover, engaged in earnest conversation on the other side of the room. I remember Nikola crossing the room to where I sat and gazing steadfastly into my face, and after that I recollect no more until I came to my senses in this room, to find myself bound and gagged. For what seemed like hours I lay in agony, then I heard footsteps in the verandah and the sound of voices. I tried to call for help but could utter no words. I thought you would go away without discovering me, but fortunately for me you did not. Now, Mr. Hatteras, I have told you everything; you know my story from the moment you left me up to the present."

For some time after the Marquis had concluded his strange story both the inspector and I sat in deep thought. That Beckenham had been kidnapped in order that he should be out of the way while the villainous plot for abducting Phyllis was being enacted, there could be no doubt. But why had he been chosen? and what clues were we to gather from what his lordship had told us? I turned to the inspector and said: