d ruefully. "It did look like a good plan to give him rope
enough"--here he checked his utterance, and glanced at the disconsolate
prisoner--"but he fairly got the better of me when I went aboard that
barge. I ought to have left one of these gentlemen to watch the quay.
My excuse is that the barge seemed to offer the only probable
hiding-place, and there was always the chance that he had gone into the
river with the car."

"Anyhow, you got him," observed Evans sympathetically, for McCulloch
was a valued and trustworthy officer.

"Well, he's here, but Mr. Brodie got him," whereupon Brodie tried not
to look sheepish.

Steingall and Clancy arrived before the roundsman had made an end of
his experiences, which he had to recount for their benefit. The two
detectives had resumed their ordinary clothing. They looked tired, but
quietly elated, and it was noticeable that Clancy's mercurial spirits
seemed to have evaporated. Those who knew him would have augured from
that fact that the chase was reaching its climax, but Curtis and Devar
fancied that the little man was thoroughly worn out and pining for
rest. Never had they been more egregiously deceived. He resembled a
hound which bays its excitement when the quarry is scented but
restrains all its energies for the last desperate struggle when the
flying prey is in sight.

The Frenchman sat as though in a stupor, and seemingly gave no
attention to the details of the hunt, but he sprang to his feet in
sheer fright when Steingall walked up to him and said sternly:

"Now, Antoine Lamotte, listen to what I have to say."

"I am betrayed, then?" snarled the man viciously, though his voice went
off into a curious yelp of agony as a twinge reminded him of Brodie's
vigorous aim with half a brick.

"Yes, the game is up. I know your confederates, and you will be
confronted with them before daybreak. . . . No, I am not bluffing.
That is not my way. Their names are Gregor Martiny and Ferdinand
Rossi. Now are you satisfied?"

Lamotte sank back into his chair. His features were wrung with pain,
but the momentary excitement vanished, and his manner grew sullen again.

"If you know so much I can tell you nothing," he growled.

"No. You can give me little or no information I do not possess
already. But, unless you are more fool than knave, you can at least
try to save your own miserable life."

"How?"

"By a full confession. Did you know that Martiny and Rossi meant t