“An idea,” he replied--“a notion that appealed to me.” And then he perceived that he must at all costs get rid of Pauline, and he continued: “My sister is extremely disturbed,” he said. “Will you not, as a last favour, go and stay with her? Do not refuse me this. I will find some one to assist me in my work here--one of my trombone-players on whom I can rely. I--I really do not care for you to be out here like this. The strain is too much for you.” “But Rosie----” she objected again. “Rosie is all right,” he reassured her. “I will answer for Rosie’s safety with my life; and when I say that, I mean it.” “I will do as you wish,” said Pauline at length. “Let me see you into the house,” he murmured, enchanted. He unlocked his front-door for her, and called out softly, “Juliette!” “Is that you, Carlos?” said a voice in the darkness at the top of the stairs. “Yes,” he said. “Here is Miss Dartmouth come to keep you company. Do not use a light--at least, use as little light as possible, until you hear some music.” “Hear some music? What music?” “Never mind what music. If you should hear some music you will know that you are at liberty to turn on all the lights you like. Miss Dartmouth will tell you why I want darkness at present. Here are the stairs, Miss Dartmouth. Cling to the rail. _Au revoir._” “But----” faltered Pauline. “_Au revoir_, I said,” he whispered insistently. Before leaving the house he rushed into the kitchen, found a long clothes-line, of which he seemed to know exactly the whereabouts, and appropriated it. The next minute he was tying the handle of Ilam’s front-door firmly to the railing, so that it would be impossible to open the door from the inside. He secured in the same manner the side-door and also the gate in the wall of the kitchen yard. He then fixed pieces of rope under windows, in such a manner that a person endeavouring to leap from a window to the ground would almost certainly be caught in the rope, and break a leg or an arm, if not a neck or so. “Cheerful for them!” he murmured maliciously. “I only hope it won’t be Miss Rosie who tries to make her exit by the window. I have answered for her. However, I must take the risks.” He glanced finally round the house, throwing away some short unused pieces of rope, but keeping two long pieces. He surveyed the house with satisfaction. “I think I can safely leave it for five minutes or so now,” he said to himself; and he shut his penknife with a vicious snap and put it in his pocket.