She stared.

"But you told me--"

"I apologize for having alarmed you, but it was the only excuse I could think of which would bring you here immediately."

At first he had been geniality itself; but now, swiftly and yet subtly, a sinister element had crept into his blandness. She felt herself go cold, but managed somehow to keep her voice at its normal level.

"Then I fail to see, Professor. Raxel, why you should have brought me here," she remarked icily.

"You will understand in a moment," he said. He took a small automatic pistol from his pocket, and laid it on the table in front of her. She stared at it in amazement mingled with fear

"Please take it," he smiled. "I particularly want you to feel safe, because I am going to say something that might otherwise frighten you considerably."

She looked blankly at the gleaming weapon, but did not touch it.

"Take it!" insisted the Professor sharply. "You are here in my power, in a strange house, and I am offering you a weapon. Don't be a fool. I will explain."

Hesitantly she reached out and took the automatic in her hand. Since he had offered it she might as well accept it--there could be no harm in that; and, as he had remarked, it was certainly a weapon of which she might be glad in the circumstances. Yet she could not understand why, in those circumstances, he should offer it to her. Certainly he could i-not imagine that she would make use of it.

"Of course, it isn't loaded," she said lightly.

"It is loaded," replied the Professor. "If you don't believe me, I invite you to press the trigger."

"That might be awkward for you. A policeman might be within hearing, and he would certainly want to know who was firing pistols in this house."