in a place where a mysterious crime has just been committed.  As to the Highland costume, he may urge that, like many Southrons, he had bought it to wear on a Highland tour, and was trying it on.  How can you keep him?  You have no longer the right of Pit and Gallows.  Before what magistrate can you take him, and where?  The sheriff-substitute may be at Golspie, or Tongue, or Dingwall, or I don’t know where.  What can we do?  What have we against the man?  “Loitering with intent”?  And here Logan and I have knocked him down, and tied him up, and Logan wanted to torture him.’

‘Dear Mr. Merton,’ replied Mr. Macrae, with paternal tenderness, ’you are overwrought.  You have not slept all night.  I must insist that you go to bed, and do not rise till you are called.  The man is certainly guilty of conspiracy, that will be proved when the real Gianesi comes to hand.  If not, I do not doubt that I can secure his silence.  You forget the power of money.  Make yourself easy, go to sleep; meanwhile I must re-establish communications.  Good-night, golden slumbers!’

He wrung Merton’s hand, and left him admiring the calm resolution of one whose conversation, ‘in the mad pride of intellectuality,’ he had recently despised.  The millionaire, Merton felt, was worthy to be his daughter’s father.

‘The power of money!’ mused Mr. Macrae; ’what is it in circumstances like mine?  Surrounded by all the resources of science, I am baffled by a clever rogue and in a civilised country the aid of the law and the police is as remote and inaccessible as in the Great Sahara!  But to business!’

He sent for Benson, bade him, with some gillies, carry the prisoner into the dungeon of the old castle, loose his bonds, place food before him, and leave him in charge of the stalker.  He informed Bude that breakfast would be ready at eight, and then retired to his study, where he matured his plans.

The yacht he would send to Lochinver to await the real Gianesi there, and to send telegrams descriptive of Blake in all directions.  Giambresi must be telegraphed to again, and entreated to come in person, with yet another electric machine, for that brought by the false Gianesi had been, by the same envoy, rendered useless.  A mounted man must be despatched to Lairg to collect vehicles and transport there, and to meet the real Gianesi if he came that way.  Thus Mr. Macrae, with cool patience and forethought, endeavoured to recover his position, happy in the reflection that treachery had at last been eliminated.  He did not forget to write telegrams to remote sheriff-substitutes and procurators fiscal.

As to the kidnappers, he determined to amuse them with protracted negotiations on the subject of his daughter’s ransom.  These would be despatched, of course, by the wireless engine which was in tune and touch with their own.  During the parleyings the wretches might make some blunder, and Mr. Macrae could perhaps think out some plan for their detection and capture, without risk to his daughter.  If not, he must pay ransom.