“It’s evidence enough for us to go for Craig, though! What we have got to do is to get a confession out of him, somehow!”
Laura studied her companion, for a moment, curiously.
“Taking some interest in Mr. Quest, kid, ain’t you?”
Lenora looked up. Then her head suddenly sank into her hands. She knew quite well that her secret had escaped her. Laura patted her shoulder.
“That’s all right, child,” she said soothingly. “We’ll see him through this, somehow or other.”
“You don’t mind?” Lenora faltered, without raising her eyes.
“Not I,” she replied promptly. “I’m not looking for trouble of that sort.”
Lenora raised her head. There was an immense relief in her face.
“I am so glad,” she said. “I was afraid sometimes—living here with him, you know—”
Laura interrupted her with an easy laugh.
“You don’t need to worry,” she assured her.
Lenora rose to her feet. She was quite herself again. There was a new look of determination in her face.
“Laura,” she exclaimed, “we will save Mr. Quest and we will get hold of Craig! I have a plan. Listen.”
2.
Craig’s surprise was real enough as he opened the back door of the Professor’s house on the following morning and found Lenora standing on the threshold.
“I am very sorry, Miss Lenora,” he apologised. “The front door bell must be out of order. I certainly didn’t hear it ring. Mr. Ashleigh is in his study, if you wish to see him.”
Lenora smiled pleasantly.
“To tell you the truth,” she said, “I really do not want to see him,—at least, not just yet. I came to this door because I wanted a little talk with you.”
Craig’s attitude was perfect. He was mystified, but he remained respectful.
“Will you come inside?” he invited.
She shook her head.
“I am afraid,” she confided, “of what I am going to say being overheard. Come with me down to the garage for a moment.”
She pointed to the wooden building which stood about fifty yards away from the house. Craig hesitated.
“If you wish it, miss,” he assented doubtfully. “I will get the keys.”
He disappeared for a moment and came out again almost immediately afterwards with a bunch of keys in his hand. He seemed a little disturbed.
“I am doing as you wish, Miss Lenora,” he said, “but there is nobody about here likely to overhear, and I have no secrets from my master.”
“Perhaps not,” Lenora replied, “but I have. The Professor is a dear,” she added hastily, “but he is too wrapped up in his scientific work to be able to see things like men of ordinary common-sense.”
“That is quite true,” Craig admitted. “Mr. Ashleigh has only one idea in his life…. This way, then, if you please, miss.”
He opened the door of the garage, leaving the keys in the lock, and they both passed inside. The place was gloomy and lit only by a single narrow window near the roof. The only vehicle it contained was the Professor’s little car.
“You can say what you please here without the slightest fear of being overheard, miss,” Craig remarked.
Lenora nodded, and breathed a prayer to herself. She was nearer the door than Craig by about half-a-dozen paces. Her hand groped in the little bag she was carrying and gripped something hard. She clenched her teeth for a moment. Then the automatic pistol flashed out through the gloom.
“Craig,” she threatened, “if you move I shall shoot you.”
It seemed as though the man were a coward. He began to tremble, his lips twitched, his eyes grew larger and rounder.
“What is it?” he faltered. “What do you want?”
“Just this,” Lenora said firmly. “I suspect you to be guilty of the crime for which Sanford Quest is in prison. I am going to have you questioned. If you are innocent, you have nothing to fear. If you are guilty, there will be some one here before long who will extract the truth from you.”
The man’s face was an epitome of terror. Even his knees shook. Lenora felt herself grow calmer with every moment.
“I am going outside to send a message,” she told him. “I shall return presently.”
“Don’t go,” he begged suddenly. “Don’t leave me!”
She turned around.
“Why not?”
He drew a step nearer. Once more the few inches of blue steel flashed out between them.
“None of your games,” she warned him. “I am in earnest, and I am not afraid to shoot.”
“I won’t come any nearer,” he promised, “but listen! I am innocent—I have done nothing wrong. If you keep me here, you will do more harm than you can dream of.”
“It is for other people to decide about your innocence,” Lenora said calmly. “I have nothing to do with that. If you are wise, you will stop here quietly.”
“Have you said anything to Mr. Ashleigh, miss?” the man asked piteously.
“Not a word.”
An expression of relief shone for a moment upon his face. Lenora pointed to a stool.
“Sit down there and wait quietly,” she ordered.
He obeyed without a word. She left the place, locked the door securely, and made her way round to the other side of the garage—the side hidden from the house. Here, at the far corner, she drew a little pocket wireless from her bag and set it on the window-sill. Very slowly she sent her message,—
“I have Craig here in the Professor’s garage, locked up. If our plan has succeeded, come at once. I am waiting here for you.”
There was no reply. She sent the message again and again. Suddenly, during a pause, there was a little flash upon the plate. A message was coming to her. She transcribed it with beating heart:
“O.K. Coming.”
The guard swung open the wicket in front of Quest’s cell.
“Young woman to see you, Quest,” he announced. “Ten minutes, and no loud talking, please.”
Quest moved to the bars. It was Laura who stood there. She wasted very little time in preliminaries. Having satisfied herself that the guard was out of hearing, she leaned as close as she could to Quest.
“Look here,” she said, “Lenora’s crazy with the idea that Craig has done these jobs—Craig, the Professor’s servant, you know. We used the phototelesme yesterday afternoon and saw him burn something in the Professor’s study. Lenora went up straight away and got hold of the ashes.”
“Smart girl,” Quest murmured, nodding approvingly. “Well?”
“There are distinct fragments,” Laura continued, “of embroidered stuff such as the Salvation Army girl might have been wearing. We put them on one side, but they aren’t enough evidence. Lenora’s idea is that you should try and get hold of Craig and hypnotise him into a confession.”
“That’s