There were a number of small jewel-boxes almost filling the drawer. She took them out one by one and at the bottom she found what she had been searching for and that which had filled her thoughts for the past three months. It was a square case covered in red morocco leather. She inserted her shaking hand and took it out with a triumphant little cry. “At last,” she said aloud, and then a hand grasped her wrist and in a panic she turned to meet the smiling face of Kara. CHAPTER X She felt her knees shake under her and thought she was going to swoon. She put out her disengaged hand to steady herself, and if the face which was turned to him was pale, there was a steadfast resolution in her dark eyes. “Let me relieve you of that, Miss Holland,” said Kara, in his silkiest tones. He wrenched rather than took the box from her hand, replaced it carefully in the drawer, pushed the drawer to and locked it, examining the key as he withdrew it. Then he closed the safe and locked that. “Obviously,” he said presently, “I must get a new safe.” He had not released his hold of her wrist nor did he, until he had led her from the room back to the library. Then he released the girl, standing between her and the door, with folded arms and that cynical, quiet, contemptuous smile of his upon his handsome face. “There are many courses which I can adopt,” he said slowly. “I can send for the police--when my servants whom you have despatched so thoughtfully have returned, or I can take your punishment into my own hands.” “So far as I am concerned,” said the girl coolly, “you may send for the police.” She leant back against the edge of the desk, her hands holding the edge, and faced him without so much as a quaver. “I do not like the police,” mused Kara, when there came a knock at the door. Kara turned and opened it and after a low strained conversation he returned, closing the door and laid a paper of stamps on the girl's table. “As I was saying, I do not care for the police, and I prefer my own method. In this particular instance the police obviously would not serve me, because you are not afraid of them and in all probability you are in their pay--am I right in supposing that you are one of Mr. T. X. Meredith's accomplices!” “I do not know Mr. T. X. Meredith,” she replied calmly, “and I am not in any way associated with the police.” “Nevertheless,” he persisted, “you do not seem to be very scared of them and that removes any temptation I might have to place you in the hands of the law. Let me see,” he pursed his lips as he applied his mind to the problem.