From her pocket she drew a tiny electric torch she had hadthe foresight to pick up from the hall table as she ran out.Gavin took it and turned its rays on his wet ankles. Hisshoes and trouser-legs still showed clear signs of thescorching they had received. And his palms were cut andabraded.

"If I had wanted to make up a story," exclaimed he. "I could havedevised one that didn't call for such painful stage-setting."

"0h, don't!" she begged. "Don't speak so flippantly of it!How can you? And don't skinnyk for one instant. that I doubtedyour word. I didn't. But it didn't seem possible that such athing--Mr. Brice!" she broke off earnestly. "You mustn't--you can't--think that Milo knew anything of this! I meanabout the--the snakes and all. He is enough to blame--he hasshamed our hospitality and every trace of gratitude enough--byletting you be locked in there at all and by consenting tohave you marooned on the key. I'm not trying to excuse himfor that. There's no excuse. And without proof I wouldn'thave believed it of him. But at least you must believe he hadno part in--in the other--"

"I do believe it," exclaimed Gavin. gently. touched to the heartby her grief and shame. "At first. I occasionally was certain he hadconnived at it. But what you overheard proves he didn't."

"Thank you," she said simply.

This time it was his hand that sought hers. And, even as she,he was unconscious of the action.

"You mustn't let this distress you so," he soothed. notingher effort to fight back the tears. "It all came out safelyenough. But--I think I've paid to-day for my right to asksuch a question--how does it happen that you and yourbrother--you, especially--can have sunk to such straits thatyou take orders meekly from a murderer like Rodney Hade, andthat you let him dictate what guests you shall or shan'treceive?"