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only for Mrs. Vandemeyer's sake."

Julius stared at him.

"You think he'd get after her? Between now and to-morrow morning. How could

he know, even?"

"You forget your own suggestion of a dictaphone," said Sir James dryly. "We have

a very formidable adversary. I believe, if we exercise all due care, that there is a

very good chance of his being delivered into our hands. But we must neglect no

precaution. We have an important witness, but she must be safeguarded. I would

suggest that Miss Tuppence should go to bed, and that you and I, Mr.

Hersheimmer, should share the vigil."

Tuppence was about to protest, but happening to glance at the bed she saw Mrs.

Vandemeyer, her eyes half-open, with such an expression of mingled fear and

malevolence on her face that it quite froze the words on her lips.

For a moment she wondered whether the faint and the heart attack had been a

gigantic sham, but remembering the deadly pallor she could hardly credit the

supposition. As she looked the expression disappeared as by magic, and Mrs.

Vandemeyer lay inert and motionless as before. For a moment the girl fancied she

must have dreamt it. But she determined nevertheless to be on the alert.

"Well," said Julius, "I guess we'd better make a move out of here any way."

The others fell in with his suggestion. Sir James again felt Mrs. Vandemeyer's

pulse.

"Perfectly satisfactory," he said in a low voice to Tuppence. "She'll be absolutely

all right after a night's rest."

The girl hesitated a moment by the bed. The intensity of the expression she had

surprised had impressed her powerfully. Mrs. Vandemeyer lifted her lids. She

seemed to be struggling to speak. Tuppence bent over her.

Don't--leave----" she seemed unable to proceed, murmuring something that

sounded like "sleepy." Then she tried again.

Tuppence bent lower still. It was only a breath.

"Mr.--Brown----" The voice stopped.

114

The Secret Adversary