She looked at the flat steel in her hand.

“I only asked you,” she said, “because I gave you the key of The Study by mistake.

Julius was a man of infinite resource.

“I’ve got a way of opening doors that’s known only to three people in the world.”

“Come up with me,” she said, rising. “I’ve got a way too—I use the right key.”

He walked behind her, temporarily at a disadvantage.

She opened the door of Gordon’s prison quickly and snapped on the light.

The room was empty.

CHAPTER XVII

Knotted to the bedstead was a rope. It was of amateur make, being three strips of blanket plaited together, and the rope led through the open window.