back."

"I'd sooner take the chance outside," said Drew, glancing at Loris.
"I'd do it there!"

Delaney tightened his grip and half held the trouble-hunter in the air.
He raised on his toes with the strain.

"Oh, don't!" exclaimed Loris. "I'll have to ask you to stop this. I
can't let it occur in my house!"

"Miss Stockbridge," said Drew with soft rebuke. "Miss Stockbridge, I've
been in the detective business for twenty years. I never saw in that
time a more dangerous man. He is the super-type who usually falls
through the errors of other men. This fellow has brains. He's an expert
in telephony and in wireless. There are a number of patents in the
patent office under his name."

"Then he may be innocent, Mr. Drew."

"He's as guilty as the Kaiser!" exclaimed Delaney, twisting the
prisoner around. "Look at him. He's been trying to murder the finest
little lady in the country. She never harmed anybody. She's devoting
most of her time to Red Cross work and the--Army," added the big
operative with a touch of brogue as he glanced at Nichols.

"But he has not said that he murdered father," said Loris.

"Sure an' he won't say it. I know the breed of this snake. He wants
nothing used against him in the trial. He'll have the evidence of us
four to show that he didn't say anything. I never saw an innocent man
who wouldn't talk!"

"We're getting nowhere," objected Drew, taking command of the
situation. "Take him out, Delaney, and turn him over to the Central
Office bunch. They'll take him down to Fosdick!"

The prisoner lifted his manacled hands. He dropped them after a slow
glance at Drew's square jaw.

"Come on!" said Delaney with a jerk backward.

"Wait!"

Drew and Nichols leaned forward. "Well?" asked the detective, as the
prisoner bowed his head. "Well? Well?"

"Is that true about my brother--Morphy?"

"It is!" Drew said with ringing conviction. "It's true! He's out of
this world. He's buried alive and the key has been thrown away."

"The jig is up, then," said the trouble-man, turning toward the
telephone. "Let me telephone," he said in a whisper. "I want to use
it," he repeated faintly. "I'll show you how that--that Stockbridge
died."

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

"THE VOICE ON THE WIRE"

The prisoner lifted his manacled hands and held them toward Drew. "Let
me loose," he said, "and I'll explain everything that I've done! I want
it off my mind. I won't sleep until you people are satisfied. I know
you-