"I put that Malplaquet woman off by appealing to her avarice," he
said, "I've promised her and Bellward a thousand pounds apiece as
their share of my reward for recovering the jewel. I only have to
say the word, Okewood, and your number's up! And you may as well
know that Bellward will try his hand on you before he kills you.
If that girl had known where the Star of Poland was, Bellward
would have had it out of her! Three times a day he's put her into
the hypnotic sleep. I warn you, you won't like the
interrogatory!"
The door flew open and Bellward came in. He went eagerly to
Strangwise.
"Well, have you got it!" he demanded.
"Have you anything further to say, Desmond?" asked Strangwise.
"Perhaps you would care to reconsider your decisions"
Desmond shook his head
"You've had my answer!" he said doggedly.
"Then, my friend," said Strangwise to Bellward, "after dinner you
shall try your hand on this obstinate fool. But first we'll take
him upstairs."
He was close beside Desmond and as he finished speaking he
suddenly caught him by the throat and forced him back into the
chair to which Barbara had been tethered. To struggle was
useless, and Desmond suffered them to bind his arms and feet to
the arms and legs of the chair. Then the two men picked him up,
chair and all, and bore him from the room upstairs to the third
floor.
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