udly on the solid panel of the door.
Again no response.

"You're certain he is inside?" demanded Gibson.

"Absolutely, Mr. Commissioner," assured the detective. "He's probably at
the door now."

Gibson stepped to one side of the door and the others stepped back also.

"Open the door or we'll break it down," commanded Gibson, shouting.

A man's voice answered from behind the door.

"What do you want?" it asked.

"Open the door," said Gibson, ignoring the question.

A key clicked in the lock and the door opened. Two of the deputies
sprang on the threshold beside Gibson, their automatics in their hands.

"Put 'em up!" they said sharply.

A large, florid-faced man, wearing an expensive house coat, with an
expression of a respectable citizen highly outraged at what was before
him, lifted his hands above his head.

"What's the meaning of this?" he demanded indignantly.

"There's no use pretending injured innocence, Hatch," said Gibson
coolly. "We have a search warrant and a warrant for your arrest from New
York."

The two deputies with drawn guns searched Hatch for a concealed weapon,
patting his pockets, which they found empty. As they stepped back "Big
Jim" dropped his hands to his side and smiled.

"Very well, Mr. Gibson," he said obligingly. "Do your stuff."

John was startled to hear Hatch call Gibson by name. Nothing had been
said that even hinted of the commissioner's identity. The search warrant
was handed Gibson.

"Do you want me to read this?" he asked.

"Don't trouble yourself," replied Hatch. "All I ask is that you don't
tear things to pieces in here. Mrs. Hatch is with me and I don't want
her to be bothered."

"All right, boys, be quick about it," ordered Gibson, sending the
officers to search the house, "and don't disturb Mrs. Hatch unless it's
necessary."

As the private detectives and deputies left them, Benton stepped
forward with a request that Gibson and Hatch pose for a photograph.

"You brought them with you, eh, Gibson?" said Hatch. Then to the
photographer he added: "I'll accommodate you under one consideration."

"Say it," requested Benton.

"That you leave Mrs. Hatch out of this," said "Big Jim."

The photographer looked to Brennan for an answer to this proposal.

"Go ahead, Benton," Brennan agreed, "we won't bother Mrs. Hatch."

While Benton was photographing Gibson and Hatch, John observed the bunko
swindler more closely. To all outward appearances "Big Jim" might have