"Wonderful, wonderful," he murmured, as the great artificial bird glided smoothly through the air, "but don't--don't go too high, Mr. Halliday."
"I shall go high enough to smash you," said Dan, coolly. He was circling in swallow flights round the Heath, now high now low, now swift now slow, and had the machine so entirely under command that he was enabled to give a certain amount of his attention, though not all, to his companion.
Penn gasped again, and his terror revived. "Smash me! Oh!!" he almost shrieked.
"Yes," said Dan, not looking, since he had to watch where he was going, but speaking rapidly and clearly all the same. "I want to know the truth about that perfume. About the Sumatra perfume you told me was possessed alone by you. That was a lie, and you know it was a lie."
"I--I--I don't know anything more about it," whimpered the secretary.
"Yes you do. Out with the truth," said Dan relentlessly, "if you don't I shall drop you overboard to smash like an egg."
Penn clung to his seat desperately. "That would be murder."
"I daresay, but I shouldn't suffer. Accidents will happen in aeroplanes you know. You are like Mahomet's coffin, slung between heaven and earth, and overboard Mahomet's coffin will go in a few minutes unless----" Dan swerved the machine which tilted slightly and Penn went green with terror.
"What--what--what do you want to know?" he wailed, as the biplane dipped nearly to earth, to sweep upward in a graceful curve.
"You do. She has this perfume also. Has it anything to do with a gang?"
"Yes, yes." Penn's teeth were chattering, and the sinking motion made him sick.
"I don't know--I don't know. Oh!" Penn screamed and clutched again at the side of the car.
"You do. This false Mrs. Brown belonged to the gang."
"I can't say. I daren't tell you. If I say anything I shall die."
"You shall die if you don't say what I want you to say," said Dan between his teeth, and again the machine dipped and towered. "I'll tilt you out, I swear, if you don't tell me who murdered Sir Charles."
"I don't know, I tell you," cried Penn desperately, "the perfume has to do with a society of people, who--who--but I daren't speak. I should be killed. I have said too much as it is. And if you reveal what I have said, you will be killed also."