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40 "Tell me whether it was you who sent the rose— and, where is Judith?"

"I shall tell you nothing. Repeat"—the voice rang resolutely—"repeat what Digby told you!"

The girl was silent for a long minute. Then his hand moved toward the row of buttons sunk in the top of his desk.

"I warn you I have ways to make you speak"

With a quick movement the girl prisoned the bony wrist in her strong fingers. With her other hand she whipped open an upper drawer of the desk and took from it a revolver.

"On the contrary," she said quietly, "the time has passed when you could have me punished for disobedience. You will call nobody; if interrupted I shan't hesitate to defend myself. And now I shall find for myself what I wish to know."

For a moment he watched in silence as she bent over the desk, rummaging its drawers. Then with an infuriated gesture he began to curse her. …

She shuddered a little at the black oaths, but nothing could stay her in her purpose. He was breathless when she straightened up, studied intently for a moment a sheaf of papers, and thrust them into her hand-bag with the revolver. Then touching the push-button which released a secret door, she slipped from the room, and within another minute had made her way unseen from the house.