“This.  I find that Mr. Temple has told you about an interview which was held in the library last night.”

“Yes; it is true.”

“Do you know of what you are in danger?”

“No—­what?”

“Hanging.”

“What for?”

“For murdering Kaffar.”

“Did I kill him?  I remember nothing.  What was done was not because of me, but because of the demon that caused me blindly to act.”

“Names are cheap, my man, and I don’t mind.  Claptrap morality is nothing to me.  Yes, you killed Kaffar—­killed him with that knife you held in your hand.  I meant that you should.  Kaffar was getting troublesome to me, and I wanted to get him out of the way.  To use you as I did was killing two birds with one stone.  You know that Miss Forrest has promised to marry me if Kaffar be not forthcoming by next Christmas Eve.  That, of course, can never be, so my beautiful bride is safe;” and he looked at me with a savage leer.

“Have you brought me here to tell me that?”

“No; but to tell you a little good news.  I have decided to hold you as the slave to my will until the day Miss Gertrude Forrest becomes Mrs. Herod Voltaire, and then to set you free.  Meanwhile, I want to give you a few instructions.”

“What are they?”

“You are not to take one step in trying to prove that Kaffar is alive.”

“Ah!” I cried; “you fear I might produce him.  Then I have not killed him, even through you.  Thank God! thank God!”

“Stop your pious exclamations,” he said.  “No, you are wrong.  You did kill Kaffar, and he lies at the bottom of yonder ghostly pool; so that is not the reason.  Why I do not wish you to search for him is that thereby you might find out things about me that I do not wish you to do.  In such a life as mine there are naturally things that I do not wish known.  In going to my old haunts, trying to unearth Kaffar, you would learn something about them.  And so I command you,” he continued, in a hoarse tone that made me shudder, “that you do not move one step in that direction.  If you do—­well, you know my power.”

From that moment I felt more enslaved than ever.  I shuddered at the thought of disobeying him; I felt more than ever a lost man.  As I felt at that moment, in spite of my desire to let every one know this man’s power over me, I would rather have pulled out my tongue than have done so.

“Are those all your commands?” I said humbly.

“Ah! you are cowed at last, are you?” he said mockingly.  “You matched your strength with mine; now you know what it means.  You did not think I could crush you like a grasshopper, did you?  Yes, I have one other command for you.  You must go to London to-morrow, and go on with your old work.  You must not hold any communication with Miss Forrest, my affianced bride.  I myself am going to London to-day, and most likely shall remain there for a while.  Perhaps I shall want to see you occasionally.  If I do, you will quickly know.  I shall have no need to tell you my address;” and he laughed a savage laugh.