Theodore was ghastly white and his blue eyes blazed with unholy fire, as between closed teeth he cursed his antagonist. Huge as he was, the man had only that strength which comes with furious anger. He was flabby, and not at all muscular, since he never exercised himself in any way. Half on the floor and half on the pillows of the sofa, Colpster watched the fight with breathless interest, grasping in his hands a large envelope. The two men swayed and swung round the apartment, and Theodore fought like a tiger. But the wiry sailor was too much for him, and gradually Dane was forced to the floor where he lay struggling and kicking, with Pentreddle kneeling on his big chest. Harry hailed the half-fainting old man. "Pull down that curtain cord near you, Squire, and throw it over," he panted. Dane gurgled and tried to curse, but could not, as Pentreddle's brown hands gripped his fat throat. Colpster struggled across to the window and took with feeble hands the silken rope which draped the curtains on one side at no great height from the floor. He crawled back with it to Harry, who at once proceeded to bind Theodore's arms behind his back, and rolled him over for this purpose. Dane was so sick and breathless with the struggle and in such a bad condition for holding his own, that he had to submit. "Now the other rope, Squire," commanded Harry, but seeing that the old man's strength had given out, he darted across himself to the window and speedily brought back what he required. In a few minutes Theodore, trussed like a fowl, was lying on the floor, face uppermost, and regained his breath sufficiently to curse. "I'll have you arrested for this, Pentreddle," he said viciously. Harry deigned no reply, as he had to attend to Colpster. On a small table near the bed was a decanter of port, with some glasses and a dish of biscuits. The sailor poured out a glass of the generous vintage, and held it to the Squire's lips. He drank it eagerly and demanded more. A second glass brought the colour back into his wan cheeks, and the light of life into his sunken eyes. Shortly he was able to sit up on the sofa and Harry arranged the pillows at his back. But all the time Colpster held on to the large envelope. Also, he fished about feebly under the pillow and brought out the Mikado Jewel. "Thank heaven!" panted the old man feebly; "he has got neither." "I'll get them yet, you old beast," growled Theodore, trying to break his bonds, but vainly. "I'll have that will and burn it. I'll get the emerald and sell it. Curse you! And you too, Pentreddle! What the devil do you mean binding me in this way?" "I'll explain that to you later, sir," retorted Pentreddle, wiping his brow, and taking a glass of port himself. "With your permission, Squire," he said in a polite tone when he drank it. "You arrived just in time," said the Squire, in stronger tones. "That wicked wretch would have killed me." "Why?" asked Pentreddle quickly.