CHAPTER XVIII THE SWORD FALLS When Max turned, he found that Carrie had retreated within the door of the sitting room. He followed her...

CHAPTER XVII A SORCERESS Max was standing on the other side of the lamp, and Carrie did not see him. She announced her errand at once in...

CHAPTER XVI A MESSAGE FROM THE WHARF Christmas was over, and The Beeches had subsided into its normal state of prosperous tranquility....

CHAPTER XV MR. WEDMORE'S SECOND FREAK Even if Max had not had such an ugly experience of the ways of Mrs. Higgs, even if this meeting...

CHAPTER XIV IS IT BLACKMAIL? Mr. Wedmore repeated his comment: "Curious, isn't it?" before Max could reply. At last, he nodded and handed...

CHAPTER XIII THE SEQUEL TO A TRAGEDY It was on the evening after that of his expedition to Limehouse that Max Wedmore found himself back...

CHAPTER XII ESCAPE An exclamation, impossible to repress, burst from the lips of Max. At the same moment, he made a spring to the left,...

CHAPTER XI A TRAP Max tried to find the door by which he had been thrown into the room. The upper portion was of glass, he supposed,...

CHAPTER X GRANNY There was some constraint upon them both at first, and Max had had time to feel a momentary regret that he had been...

CHAPTER IX THE MAN WHO HESITATES Max had become accustomed, in the course of this adventurous visit, to surprises and alarms. Every step...

CHAPTER VIII FOREWARNED, BUT NOT FOREARMED "By Jove!" muttered Max. Then, with a sudden outburst of energy, inspired by indignation at...

CHAPTER VII A QUESTIONABLE GUIDE Max started violently at the girl's voice. "A dead man? In there? How do you know?" In a hoarse voice,...

CHAPTER VI THE LITTLE STONE PASSAGE Queenie kept Dudley's half-confessed secret to herself for the whole of that day. She was hoping...

CHAPTER V ONE MAN'S LOSS IS ANOTHER MAN'S GAIN "Confound the Christmas tree!" grumbled Mr. Wedmore, as he stumbled over a parcel of...

CHAPTER IV A PARAGRAPH IN "THE STANDARD" Max did not stay long with his friend but made the excuse that he was half asleep, after a few...

CHAPTER III DUDLEY EXPLAINS As the cry of horror escaped the lips of Max, Dudley wheeled quickly round and met his eyes. For a moment the...

CHAPTER II MAX MAKES A DISCOVERY Doreen's bright face lost a little of its color and much of its gayety as her father disappeared. The...