later we stood in another cellar.

My Chinaman went forward, and rapped four times

on one of the walls. A whole section of the wall swung

out, leaving a narow doorway. I passed through, and to

my utter astonishment found myself in a kind of Arabian

Nights' palace. A low long subterranean chamber

hung with rich oriental silks, brilliantly lighted and

fragrant with perfumes and spices. There five or six silk covered divans, and exquisite carpets of Chinese workmanship covered the ground. At the end of the room

was a curtained recess. From behind these curtains came

a voice.

"You have brought our honoured guest?"

"Excellency, he is here," replied my guide.

"Let our guest enter," was the answer.

At the same moment, the curtains were drawn aside

by an unseen hand, and I was facing an immense cushioned divan on which sat a tall thin Oriental dressed in

wonderfully embroidered robes, and clearly, by the

length of his finger nails, a great man.

"Be seated, I pray you, Captain Hastings," he said, with a wave of his hand. "You acceded to my request to come immediately, I am glad to see."

"Who are you?" I asked. "Li Chang Yen?"

"Indeed no, I am but the humblest of the master's

servants. I carry out his behests, that is all--as do other of his servants in other countries--in South America,

for instance."

I advanced a step.

"Where is she? What have you done with her out

there?"

"She is in a place of safety--where none will find her. As yet, she is unharmed. You observe that I say--as yetl" Cold shivers ran down my spine as I confronted this

smiling devil.

"What do you want?" I cried. "Money?"

"My dear Captain Hastings. We have no designs on

your small savings, I can assure you. Not--pardon me

--a very intelligent suggestion on your part. Your colleague would not have made it, I fancy."

"I suppose," I said heavily, "you wanted to get me into your toils. Well, you have succeeded. I have come

here with my eyes open. Do what you like with me, and

let her go. She knows nothing, and she can be no possible use to you. You've used her to get hold of me-you've got me all right, and that settles it." The smiling Oriental caressed his smooth cheek,

watching me obliquely out of his narrow eyes.

"You go too fast," he said purringly. "That does not quite--settle it. In fact, to 'get hold of you' as you express it, is not really our objective. But through you, we

hope to get hold of your friend, M. Hercule Poirot."

"I'm afraid you won't do that," I said, with a short laugh.

"What I suggest is this," continued the other, his words running on as though he had not heard me.

"You will write M. Hercule Poirot a letter, such a letter as will induce him to hasten hither and join you."

"I shall do no such thing," I said angrily.