"A very clever man, an ornament to his profession," remarked Moreno drily. "Still, how the devil should he guess, being totally ignorant of the circumstances? And the symptoms were precisely those which would have been produced by a long course of drugging." Mrs Hargrave laid her hand upon his arm, and spoke in a serious voice. "What of last night? There is nothing in the papers this morning. I have sent out for half a dozen. Tell me what happened." "The brotherhood has been defeated again." He rehearsed the scene for her benefit, and came to the concluding portion. "Just as they were about to remove Rossett, I distinctly heard a low whistle, that was repeated a few seconds later. I just pulled aside the curtain, and saw that the house was surrounded. I had hardly put the blind back when the door was burst open and the police swarmed in. They cut Rossett loose and took him downstairs. They covered us with revolvers, and made us take off our masks. The Chief who was with them recognised Contraras, Zorrilta, and Alvedero. Myself and Somoza he did not recognise." "Ah!" Violet Hargrave drew a long breath. "You were the only one who escaped, then? How did you manage it?" "By a miracle. I always keep my head in a crisis. As soon as I heard them rushing up the stairs, I drew near to the door, hoping to escape in the confusion. It was, of course, a thousand to one chance. While all the attention was being concentrated on Contraras and the others--of course the Chief didn't expect to bag such a big game--I drew my knife, plunged it into the breast of the man guarding the door--I fear I killed him, poor fellow--flew down the stairs, knocked over another chap, and dodged through them." Violet Hargrave surveyed him critically. "I am afraid you haven't a very high opinion of my intelligence. That is the story you will tell to Lucue, Maceda, and Jaques when we meet again in London. It does not impose upon me. You have escaped right enough, but you escaped with the connivance of the police." Moreno bit his lip; he had presumed a little too much upon feminine incredulity. "At any rate, you are not in their clutches," he said quietly. "I saved you. Don't forget that." She reached out her hand. "Please forgive me. I am very grateful for what you have done. Of course, if I had gone there you could not have saved me. I should have been taken with the others. You could save Guy Rossett and yourself, even your clever brain could not have taken in a third. I repeat, I am very grateful." Moreno retained her hand in his. Secretive as he was by nature, he felt that the time for dissimulation was past. "When we get to London--I am leaving to-night, and the sooner we make tracks the better--we will respect each other's secrets. I have still in my possession the photographed copy of that document which you sold to Guy Rossett." She drew away her hand from his with an indignant gesture.