"You mean to tell me that this man--whoever he is--actually came to you from heaven knows where because you willed him to come, and that you hypnotized him to find out about my husband?" "I mean just that," answered Madame Veno, triumphantly. "I've done this sort of thing before. It's the secret of my success over other psychics. I've found out that your husband was kidnapped, just as I thought. As for the pearls, so far as I can understand, he had them on him. Anyhow, they're in these people's possession. But you'd better come into my room and talk to the man." "Is he still hypnotized?" Juliet wanted to know, irritated by her feeling that she was being deceived, yet eager and curious. "No, not now. I've released him from the influence. He was going pale about the lips, which shows a weak heart, and I was scared. I can't take big risks of that sort! But when I explained what I'd got out of him, and when I'd even made him put on paper a short statement of his own handwriting, he saw that he might as well be frank----" "If the statement was signed, you must have got his name. And if not, what use is it?" "He _thinks_ he's signed it, for I covered up the place where the name should be as if accidentally, and snatched the paper away as though I was afraid he'd grab it from me. It was when I was willing him so hard to sign that he began to look queer. So I had to give it up." "I see," said Juliet. "Well, take me into the next room, and let me try what _I_ can get out of him!" "You can get everything out of him, Duchess, and you can get back your husband and your pearls. That is, if you're willing to pay the price this man asks. Even in his sleep he was firm about that, and he hasn't told where the Duke is." Juliet did not believe that the man knew where the Duke was. It was so much more likely that the whole business was a trick to extract money and--give nothing of value in return! Still, she was more eager to see the occupant of Madame Veno's room than she had ever been to see any one--except Pat, in the blessed old days. The green curtains were drawn, and though twilight was falling out of doors the only lamp was a small green-shaded one on the table of the crystal. The man who stood facing the two women as they entered was in shadow, all except his hands, which showed white and large, crossed on folded arms. It was an instant before Juliet realized that something more than shadow obscured the features. Then her piercing eyes made out that a layer of black crape was drawn across them as far up as the forehead, as far down as the mouth. Beneath this mask a beard protruded like a fringe, but Juliet told herself it might be false. "Oh, you have masked yourself!" exclaimed Madame Veno. "He wasn't masked when I left him, Duchess!" Juliet made no comment, though if the man and woman were in collusion it was probable that Madame lied.