A turmoil of thoughts raced through her mind and she spoke them aloud. "Anthony away getting the concession. You here taking his place. It was clever--clever. Damn them for letting you do it. And you've done it so wonderfully--borne all this when at a word you might----" "Talking nonsense," he moaned desperately. "And you don't know what the secret is. No one but Anthony does. That's true, isn't it?" "I do know. I do know--won't say." "You can't know. That's true, isn't it? Answer me--answer!" And quite suddenly Richard Frencham Altar's world went all black and his knees gave way beneath him. He fell with his head in his hands crying and gasping like a broken hearted child. And Auriole came to him and put her arms round him and kissed his neck, his hair, and his poor thin hands. "And I've helped in the torture," she sobbed. "Broken you down. Oh! what a beast. What a beast I am." "Very tired," said Richard. "Want to go to sleep." "There's no sleep for you in this house except----" The door opened and Ezra Hipps walked in. "Sorry to interrupt," he said, "but how's things?" "I was just coming," said Auriole with a quick pretence at light heartedness. "I have something important to say." Hipps shook Richard by the shoulder. "How's that memory?" he enquired. Once again the last reserves were pushed into the line. "Bad," said Richard. "Damn bad." "Then I guess that ends the play," said the American. "I want you," said Auriole. "Please." They went out of the room together. CHAPTER 31. A WAY OUT. When Auriole slipped quietly into the room five minutes later she found Richard asleep on the camp bed with Blayney's kit bag tucked under his head. Below stairs there existed a state of turmoil. She had exploded her bombshell as to Richard's false identity secure in the belief that it would result in his immediate liberation. "But Hell! what are you thinking off?" Hipps had roared. "D'you imagine we can pass him out after what's happened? So long as the fellar's above ground we ain't safe." "You can't mean----" she had cried. "We're busy. Keep out of the path, kid." She had left them rattling instructions through the telephone to a person called Phillips. The need of the moment from their point of view was to waylay the returning Barraclough. Van Diest was shouting for his car and from the jargon of voices, Auriole learnt their intention of making an immediate descent upon the rival camp to demand terms. In the midst of the chaos Auriole slipped away, snatched up a bottle of champagne and some biscuits from the dining table and ran up the stairs to Richard's room. Parker, who was at the door, shot the bolt after she entered and in so doing destroyed a foolish hope that she might succeed in getting Richard out of the house while the excitement relaxed observation. Her two seater car was under the trees at the end of the road and if they could reach it----