"You wish Miss Davenant to be given up?"
"You don't know where Miss Davenant is, and I do."
It was bluff against bluff, but we could go on no longer on the old lines. I produced my revolver as a guarantee of determination, pocketed it once more, pushed my way past her as gently as I could, waited for the Seraph to follow, and then closed the door.
"I am now going to search the house," I told Miss Draper. "This is your last chance. Tell me where Miss Roden is, and I will compound a felony, and let you and every one else in the house escape. Put a single obstacle in my way, and I will have the lot of you arrested. Which is it to be?"
She started to tell me again that Sylvia was not there. I made a step across the room and saw her cover her face with her hands. The battle was over.
"Where is she?" I demanded, thanking God that it has not often been my lot to fight with women.
Miss Draper pointed to a door on the left of the hall; the key was in the lock.
"No tricks?" I asked.
She shook her head.
"You had better make yourself scarce."