As I did so my foot struck against a piece of wire, which was stretched across the path a few inches above the ground. So sudden was the shock that I had no chance of recovering my balance. The revolver escaped from my hand, and almost before I realised what had happened I had pitched forward full length on the point of my shoulder. At the same instant there was a crash amongst the bushes and two men hurled themselves on top of me. One of them fell across my legs, clutching me by the knees; the other landed with his full weight right in the middle of my back. Half dazed, and almost entirely winded, I still had strength to make one desperate effort. Twisting myself sideways, I jabbed back my elbow into the face of the man above me, and a smothered oath told me that the blow had gone home. Before I could repeat it, however, his fingers sank into my throat, and I felt a cold ring of steel pressed against my forehead: "If you move again, I'll blow your brains out." It was Manning's voice, and, low as the whisper was, there was no mistaking its savage sincerity. I ceased struggling, for beneath that suffocating hold it was impossible to do otherwise. "Hurry up, de Roda," came the sharp command. "Tie his arms and legs and be quick about it, we've no time to spare." I felt my ankles being lashed together, and then a thrill of pain darted through my shoulder, as somebody jerked my arms roughly behind my back. A minute later I was as helpless as a trussed fowl. Manning let go my throat and rose to his feet "The first sound you make," he observed softly, "I'll shoot you like a dog." "Better knock 'im in the 'ead," suggested a hoarse voice, "it'll save a lot of trouble." I heard Manning laugh, as though he found the suggestion amusing. "I have a better plan for dealing with Mr. Dryden, Craill," he remarked. "Do you think you can carry him to the house?" The other made no answer, but, stooping down and gripping me round the waist, hoisted me over his shoulder as though I had been a sack of flour. Considering that I turn the scale at fourteen stone, the fellow's strength must have been prodigious. Manning opened the gate for us, and we passed out on to the lawn. Every step Craill took gave me a fresh thrill of pain, but the physical suffering I felt was nothing to the agony of rage and mortification that was tearing at my heart. The devilish ingenuity by which I had been trapped only added to my torture, for since the contents of Christine's letter were known to my captors, it was only too probable that her position was as dangerous as my own. As we reached the verandah Manning's voice once more broke the silence. "You had better put our friend down for a moment," he said. "We shall have to borrow his key to get into the house." With a heave of his back Craill let me fall heavily on the stonework, and moving up to where I was lying Manning ran his hand quickly through my pockets.