Norris Vine without a doubt was trapped.  He realized it from the moment Phineas Duge closed the door and turned the key.  The two men who had entered were to all appearance absolutely harmless and ordinary.  They were dressed most correctly in dark clothes of fashionable cut.  Each wore a silk hat, and would have passed without a moment’s question amongst any ordinary group of better-class city men.  Nevertheless, when at his quick motion toward the bell the fingers of one of them closed upon his arm, he knew very well that he was helpless.  He suffered them to lead him without resistance into the little sitting-room.  What could he have done?  If he had opened his mouth to call out, he saw the hand of the man who was watching him, with his arm linked through his, ready to close his lips.  They all passed into the sitting-room, and Phineas Duge closed the door behind them.

“I am sorry,” he said, “to resort to such old-fashioned measures, but as you know I am methodical in all my ways.  The first place to look for stolen goods is obviously in the abode of the thief.  Frankly, I have not much expectation of discovering anything here.  At the same time I could not afford to run the risk of leaving these rooms and your person unsearched.”

“I can quite appreciate that,” Norris Vine said, seating himself in the armchair towards which he was being gently pushed.  “The only favour I will ask is that you are as quick as possible, as I have rather a busy afternoon, and want to lunch early.”

“These gentlemen,” Phineas Duge remarked, “are quite used to little affairs of this sort.  I do not think that you need fear that there will be any undue delay.”

Even while he spoke both of them were busy.  Vine felt a silken cord being drawn about his legs and chest.  Something was slid softly into his mouth.  In less than two minutes he was bound and gagged.  Then he had an opportunity, so far as the sitting-room was concerned, of watching a search conducted upon scientific principles.

In about twenty minutes the place looked as though a tornado had struck it.  The search, however, was over.  The two men were prepared to guarantee that no papers of any sort were hidden in any place within the reach of any one in that room.  They carried him, bound as he was, into the bedroom, and he watched with interest, and some admiration, a repetition of the search.  The result, however, was the same.  Then the two men came over to him, and he felt his bonds softly loosened.  Only the gag remained in his mouth, and one by one his garments were removed from him.  A trained valet could not have been more careful or deft.  The contents of all his pockets were hastily run through and restored.  His under garments were felt all over for any hidden hiding place.  Even his shoes were taken off, and the inner sole cut through with a knife.  Finally the two men turned towards Phineas Duge.  Their faces were a mute expression of the fact that the search was over.  Phineas Duge motioned them to remove the gag.  They did so, and Vine, who was now free, stood up and commenced to dress.