"No, miss," said Mr. Flannery, a little wistfully. "I suppose they take a look at me and think--and see that I'm not the sort of fellow that would take bribes." "My brother is sure to offer you money to let him go." "How much--how much good," said Sergeant-Major Flannery carefully, "does he think that's going to do him?" "You wouldn't take it, would you?" "Who, me, miss? Take money to betray my trust, if you understand the expression?" "Whatever he offers you, I will double. You see, it's so very important that he is kept here, where he will be safe from temptation, Mr. Flannery," said Dolly, timidly, "I wish you would accept this." The Sergeant-Major felt a quickening of the spirit as he gazed upon the rustling piece of paper in her hand. "No, no, miss," he said, taking it. "It really isn't necessary." "I know. But I would rather you had it. You see, I'm afraid my brother may give you a lot of trouble." "Trouble's what I'm here for, miss," said Mr. Flannery bravely. "Trouble's what I draw my salary for. Besides, he can't give much trouble when he's under lock and key, as the saying is. Don't you worry, miss. We're going to make this brother of yours a different man. We...." "Oh!" cried Dolly. A head and shoulders had shot suddenly out of the study window--the head and shoulders of Doctor Twist. The voice of Doctor Twist sounded sharply above the droning of bees and insects. "Flannery!" "On the spot, sir." "Come here, Flannery. I want you." "You stay here, miss," counselled Sergeant-Major Flannery paternally. "There may be verlence." V There were, however, when Dolly made her way to the study some five minutes later, no signs of anything of an exciting and boisterous nature having occurred recently in the room. The table was unbroken, the carpet unruffled. The chairs stood in their places, and not even a picture glass had been cracked. It was evident that the operations had proceeded according to plan, and that matters had been carried through in what Sergeant-Major Flannery would have termed a nice, easy, tactful manner. "Everything jake?" inquired Dolly. "Uh-hum," said Chimp, speaking, however, in a voice that quavered a little. Mr. Twist was the only object in the room that looked in any way disturbed. He had turned an odd greenish colour, and from time to time he swallowed uneasily. Although he had spent a lifetime outside the law, Chimp Twist was essentially a man of peace and accustomed to look askance at any by-product of his profession that seemed to him to come under the heading of rough stuff. This doping of respectable visitors, he considered, was distinctly so to be classified; and only Mr. Molloy's urgency over the telephone wire had persuaded him to the task. He was nervous and apprehensive, in a condition to start at sudden noises. "What happened?"