'A message has come in on the machine,' said Merton. 'Well, he can read it; it is not our affair.' Logan went off; Merton poured out a glass of Apollinaris water, added a little whisky, and lit a cigarette. The figure on the floor wriggled; Merton put the revolver which the man had dropped and Logan's pistol into a drawer of the writing-table, which he locked. 'I do detest all that cheap revolver business,' said Merton. The row had awakened Logan's dog, which was howling dolefully in the neighbouring room. 'Queer situation, eh?' said Merton to the prostrate figure. Hurrying footsteps climbed the stairs; Mr. Macrae (with a shot-gun) and Logan entered. Mr. Macrae all but embraced Merton. 'Had I a son, I could have wished him to be like you,' he said; 'but my poor boy--' his voice broke. Merton had not known before that the millionaire had lost a son. He did understand, however, that the judicious Logan had given _him_ the whole credit of the exploit, for reasons too obvious to Merton. 'Don't thank _me_,' he was saying, when Logan interrupted: 'Don't you think, Mr. Macrae, you had better examine the message that has just come in?' Mr. Macrae read, 'Glad they found the hair-pin, it will console the old boy. Do not quite see how to communicate, if Gianesi, who, you say, has arrived, removes the machine.' 'Look here,' cried Merton, 'excuse my offering advice, but we ought, I think, to send for Donald Macdonald _at once_. We must flash back a message to those brutes, so they may think they are still in communication with the traitor in our camp. That beast on the floor could work it, of course, but he would only warn _them_; we can't check him. We must use Donald, and keep them thinking that they are sending news to the traitor.' 'But, by Jove,' said Logan, 'they have heard from _him_, whoever he is, since Bude came back, for they know about the finding of the hair-pin. You,' he said to the wretched captive, 'have you been at this machine?' The man, being gagged, only gasped. 'There's this, too,' said Merton, 'the senders of the last message clearly think that Gianesi is against them. If Gianesi removes the machine, they say--' Merton did not finish his sentence, he rushed out of the room. Presently he hurried back. 'Mr. Macrae,' he said, 'Blake's door is locked. I can't waken him, and, if he were in his room, the noise we have made must have wakened him already. Logan, ungag that creature!' Logan removed the gag. 'Who are _you_?' he asked. The captive was silent. 'Mr. Macrae,' said Merton, 'may I run and bring Donald and the other servants here? Donald must work the machine at once, and we must break in Blake's door, and, if he is off, we must rouse the country after him.'