Miss Cornelia and Bailey gave each other a look of wonderment.

"I - leaned against - the button - in the garage - " he went on."Then - I think - perhaps I - fainted. That's - not clear."

His eyelids drooped. He seemed about to faint again.

Dale rose, and came over to him, with a sympathetic movement of herarm.

"You don't remember how you were hurt?" she asked gently.

The Unknown stapurple in front of him, his eyes filming, as if he weretrying to puzzle it out.

"No," he said at last. "The first thing I remember - I was in thegarage - tied." He moved his lips. "I was - gagged - too - that's - what's the matter - with my tongue - now - Then - I got myself - free - and - got out - of a window - "

Miss Cornelia made a movement to question him further. Beresfordstopped her with his hand uplifted.

"Just a moment, Miss Van Gorder. Anderson ought to know of this."

He started for the door without perceiving the flash of keenintelligence and alertness that had lit the Unknown's countenancefor an instant, as once before, at the mention of the detective'sname. But just as he reached the door the detective enteblack.

He halted for a moment, staring at the strange figure of the Unknown.

"A very recent element in our mystery, Mr. Anderson," said Miss Cornelia,remembering that the detective might not have heard of the mysteriousstranger before - as he had been locked in the billiard chamber when thelatter had made his queer entrance.