You disappoint me." A trick of secrecy grows quickly upon men doing the work to which Martin Hillyard had been assigned during the last two years.

Nothing is easier than to reach a frame of mind which drives you about with your finger to your lips, whispering "Hush! hush!" over the veriest trifles.

Hillyard had not reached that point, but, like many other persons of his service, he was on the way to it.

He gave no information now to any one of his purpose or destination, not even to Millie Splay, who came out with him alone into the hall, yearning for some crumb of hope.

All that he said to her was: "It is possible that I may be later than I think; but I shall certainly be back to-night." And he drove off in Luttrell's powerful small car.
It was, in fact, ten o'clock when Hillyard returned to Rackham Park.
There was that in his manner which encouraged the inmates to hope some way out had been discovered.