words at this particular
moment.

"The police are suspicious," he heard, "so it's been put ahead. At nine
o'clock to-night. Two raps on the west door at Alsop's. The veiled woman
will open the door and take the bomb, and then, by God, we'll show
them!"

A sibilant demand for caution reached Garth. The droning recommenced.
Garth fancied that it continued in the guttural accents of some eastern
dialect.

He replaced the screw. He got down from the table, able to plan
definitely. Against her protests, he took the girl to headquarters and
warned the matron to let her communicate with no one before nine-thirty.
He hurried to the flat then, and told the inspector and Nora of Brown's
death and of his experience at the shop.

"That's where Brown was struck," he ended, "and Brown was right. They
are after Alsop and his crowd to-night with dynamite, and the veiled
woman's the figure of chief danger. Do you know, chief, I'm going to let
them hand her that bomb, then I'll try to handle her."

The inspector shook his head.

"It's taking too big chances to let them get as far as the house with
the thing."

"It's the veiled woman I'm thinking of," Garth answered. "Grab these
people before her share commences, and you'll probably never see her.
She'll bob up here and there, causing infinite trouble, because
everything she does has the marks of a fiendish cleverness. Let me take
the risk and land her."

"It's utter madness your way," Nora said quietly. "How could you control
her with a thing like that in her hands?"

"I think I can take care of her and the bomb, too," Garth said quietly.

The inspector thought for a long time. It was clear the idea tempted
him. If Garth could ambush the mysterious creature at the proper moment,
her capture would be certain. His own share in the night's work was
simple. He had arranged to surround the Alsop place quietly with his
best detectives. They would keep themselves hidden. They would permit
the conspirators to enter the grounds. Garth, at the house, would use
his own judgment. When he blew his whistle this small army would close
in and make the arrests. Meantime the Oriental shop would be raided. The
dictaphone, which undoubtedly carried the signaling of the pipe, would
probably lead the police to another rendezvous.

"It looks like a big haul," the inspector said. "We can't let Alsop's
ghost slip us."

With a grumbled oath the inspector tossed his blankets aside and
lumbered to