k, and
as though it had come from Pelham, swept down the road, swept around a
turn, and Jimmie Dale, with a gasp of relief, straightened up a little
from the wheel.

How much time had he? The police must have heard the car; but, equally,
occupied as they were, they might well give it no thought other than
that it was but another car passing by. There was no telephone in the
house; the nearest house was a quarter of a mile away, and that might or
might not have a telephone. Could he count on half an hour? He glanced
anxiously at the crouched figure beside him. He would have to! It was
the only chance. They would telephone the contents of the dead man's
half of the letter to the New York police. Could he get to Hagan's room
FIRST! "Look in Hagan's room," their part of the letter read--but it
did not say for WHAT, or exactly WHERE! If they found nothing, Hagan was
safe. Connie Myers' reputation, the fact that he was found in disguise
at Doyle's house, was, barring any incriminating evidence, quite enough
to let Hagan out. There would only remain in the minds of the police the
question of who, beside Connie Myers, had been in old Doyle's house that
night? And now Jimmie Dale smiled a little whimsically. Well, perhaps he
could answer that--and, if not quite to the satisfaction of the police,
at least to the complete vindication of Mike Hagan.

But he could not drive through towns and villages with a mask on his
face; and there, ahead now, lights were beginning to show. And more than
ever now, with what was before him, it was imperative that Mike Hagan
should not recognise Larry the Bat. Jimmie Dale glanced again at
Hagan--and slowed down the car. They were on the outskirts of a town,
and off to the right he caught the twinkling lights of a street car.

"Hagan," he said sharply, "pull yourself together, and listen to me! If
you keep your mouth shut, you've nothing to fear; if you let out a word
of what's happened to-night, you'll probably go to the chair for a crime
you know nothing about. Do you understand?--keep your mouth shut!"

The car had stopped. Hagan nodded his head.

"All right, then. You get out here, and take a street car into New
York," continued Jimmie Dale crisply. "But when you get there, keep away
from your home for the next two or three hours. Hang around with some of
the boys you know, and if you're asked anything afterward, say you were
batting around town all evening. Don't worry--you'll find you're o