With the aid of his pocket-knife he ripped this into several lengths, with which he returned to the rapidly reviving Gratz.

In his grim struggle for reanimation the firm lines about the mouth of the unfortunate man had finally relaxed, and into this ugly opening the Sepoy inserted a strip of the sheet and secured it in a rigid knot behind the neck of his victim.

With a few dexterous turns and knots he bound the body to the chair with the remaining lengths of linen, and hastening to the washstand grasped a water pitcher and deluged the face of the now thoroughly awakened Gratz.

From the look in his eyes it was evident that his senses had not only fully returned, but that he was perfectly aware of the changed conditions and their relative humiliations.

For a moment an expression vaguely suggestive of admiration shadowed through the slightly flushed countenance, and the next instant it returned to its customary apathy, from which it was not again disturbed during the bitter ordeal to which the helpless Gratz was subjected.

"And now," exclaimed the Sepoy with a frightful grin of malice, "I trust that your senses are sufficiently restored to receive a farewell suggestion or two. You will notice," he went on with evil emphasis, "that I say 'farewell suggestions,' for I assure you that you will never set eyes on me again.

"A little previous to the change which resulted in your present predicament, I extended to you the courtesy of all sorts of tribute to your acumen.

"Now--note my liberality--I do not insist upon a reciprocal indorsement of my dexterity, since I see"--pointing to the gag which he had inserted in the mouth of the detective--"since I see, with deep regret, that you have an impediment in your speech.

"I excuse you in advance.

"Still, I cannot resist the temptation of chiding your indifference to such a brilliant argument as this," and the Sepoy caused the sapphire to scintillate its mocking rebuke into the eyes of the wretched Gratz.

"I must also improve the occasion by calling your attention to the reprimand offered by your plight to your curiosity, for you see to what a pass it has brought you.

"However, since it would be a malice of which I am incapable not to gratify it, I will show you what it was I had in reserve," and the Sepoy produced the small shagreen case with which Raikes had been on such questionable terms of familiarity, and pressing back the lid revealed the splendid diamond to the still impassive Gratz.

With a continuation of his elaborate courtesy and his purposely stilted phrasing, the Sepoy said: "If the sapphire was argument, this was certainly conviction. The moral barrier which could withstand the assault of the first, must, unquestionably, have yielded to the insidious attack of the second.

"But since you have managed to place yourself beyond the reach of such considerations, I will be compelled to discontinue my futile eloquence and leave you to your more mature reflections.

"Observe!" he continued, as he replaced the sapphire in the case and restored the latter to the right-hand pocket of his waistcoat, "I place the argument in this repository"; and treating the diamond in like manner, he deposited that in the left-hand pocket and added: "And place the conviction on this side.

"It is not often that one is the embodiment of _belles-lettres_, having such details of logic so easily within reach."

During all this travesty of demeanor and phrase, with its tantalizing mockery and its crafty insinuation, Gratz had betrayed no emotion whatever, nor did his eyes lose one whit of their usual placidity as he beheld the Sepoy, with a sort of lithe, animal rapidity, produce a small traveling-case from the wardrobe and return with it to the bag of coin on the table.

"You see," continued the Sepoy as he was about to deposit the bag in the case, "I have left room for this. I anticipated its addition to my paraphernalia and made preparations accordingly.

"Notice how neatly it fits in. And now I offer you my sympathy for the miscarriage of your plans.

"This, to a man of sentiment and enterprise, is always obnoxious. I feel myself indebted to you for some exceedingly intelligent mental processes, and, believe me, I part with you with a feeling so nearly resembling regret that I will not do you the discourtesy of doubting that the sentiment is genuine.

"I leave you to make explanations to your clients in whatsoever way you may see fit. I salute you!" and the next instant the Sepoy had slipped through the doorway into the hall, along which he hurried until he reached the main entrance of the house.

To make his way through this into the vestibule and thence into the street was the work of the next few moments, and with a grin of malicious triumph he descended the steps which led to the pave.

Scarcely had his feet touched the ground when a man from either side of the stone balustrade stepped out, and each grasped an arm of the scowling Sepoy.

"A moment, please!" exclaimed one of the men, as he snapped back the shield of a small lantern he carried and directed its searching light into the distorted countenance.

"Ah!" exclaimed his captor to the fellow on the other side of the prisoner, "this is the chap, Tom."

"Now, mister, you can walk back. Not a word; you may be all right and we may be all wrong; it can soon be settled in there."

"One question, please," begged the Sepoy. "Who are you? By what right do you detain me?"

"One at a time, mister," replied the man with the lantern. "There's a man inside who can answer these questions for you."

A sudden light penetrated the mind of the Sepoy. "Ah!" he exclaimed, "I understand."

"That's good, mister; it will save a deal of explanation."

"These men, then," muttered the Sepoy to himself, "are the subordinates of the detective within."

At that moment the moon slipped out from behind a mask of cloud and silhouetted the three.

By its light the prisoner examined the grim countenances before him.

"Surely," he decided, "there is nothing in these features to indicate a strenuous moral objection to the bribery of the contents of my traveling-case," and at the thought of the absurd discrepancy between his present predicament and the cynical altitudes of a short time since, and as he considered the humiliation awaiting him when he was compelled once more to face the detective, he decided to venture on another attempt to purchase his freedom.

With this thought he was about to place the case he carried on the ground, when one of the men, remarking his movement and mistaking its purpose, cried: "Here; none of that!"

"But," expostulated the Sepoy, "you do not----"

"Shut up!" replied the fellow coarsely. "Come inside and show us where you have left the chief. You here, the boss in there--something's wrong."

With a muttered curse, and urged by no ceremonious hands, the Sepoy reascended the steps.

Having in his haste to escape neglected to latch the doors, the raging Sepoy had no difficulty in conducting his captors along the hallway to his room.

In a few moments this strangely assorted trio reached the apartment in which the Sepoy had but a short time before disported himself, so to speak, with such waspish reprisal, and delivered such a farrago of ridicule and cynicism upon the defenseless head of the silent figure bound to the chair.

At sight of this extraordinary spectacle the two understrappers came to a standstill and looked upon the Sepoy with a species of respect.

Never before had they beheld their chief in such a predicament; the means of its accomplishment must have been amazingly clever, and the agent himself somewhat of a marvel.

However, while one of the men stood guard over the Sepoy, with a renewal of his watchfulness awakened by what he saw, the other proceeded to unfasten the gag and remove the strips which bound the unfortunate Gratz.

After a pause of inscrutable regard of the Sepoy, who, despite the embarrassing denouement, managed to maintain a fair degree of composure, Gratz, addressing the man who had released him, said:

"You will find the key of these handcuffs on the table yonder."

Obedient to the direction of the detective's glance, the man proceeded to the table, found the object of his quest, and inserting it in the handcuffs detached them from the hands of the still impassive Gratz.

"Now," continued the latter calmly, "I will transfer these ornaments to that gentleman. Secure him precisely as you found me, with the exception of the gag."

Presently this was done.

At this, turning to his subordinates, the detective said: "Leave me with this gentleman for a while; I will call you in case of need."

As the pair passed through the doorway, Gratz, with no intimation of triumph or exultation in his manner, addressed the unhappy Sepoy, with an emphasis, however, which implied that he had not forgotten the experience to which he had been subjected.