ite dead.

Moans of animal pain came through his bleeding lips. The eyes scarcely
noticed Bentley, though there was a slight flicker of fear in them.
Then, in the instant of death, even that slight expression passed from
them. Bentley saw the scarline about the skull.

And now Bentley knew that Barter was missing no slightest move, that
he saw everything....

For the ghastly hybrid on the steps raised his right hand in
meticulous salute ... and died. It was an ironic, grotesque gesture.

Plain-clothes men gathered around.

"Take his fingerprints," said Bentley quickly. "Then telegraph the
fingerprint section, U. S. Army, at Washington, for this man's
identity."

An ambulance was taking aboard the three mangled policemen as Bentley
stepped back into his car for the ride down to Washington Square to
see what dread thing had happened to Ellen Estabrook.

CHAPTER VI

_High Jeopardy_

Ellen Estabrook was almost in hysterics when Bentley reached her. She
had been immediately picked up by plain-clothes men and had thought
herself captured by minions of Barter. She had been panic-stricken for
a moment, she told Bentley, and it had taken her some little time to
be persuaded that she was in the hands of police.

But Bentley's heart was filled to overflowing with gratitude that he
had been able to safeguard Ellen against Barter. He never doubted it
had been Barter who had telephoned her. And even now he fancied he
could hear Barter's chuckle of amusement. Barter was watching, perhaps
even listening. Bentley felt that the madman was just biding his time.
Barter could have taken Ellen in this attempt, but hadn't tried
greatly, knowing himself invincible, knowing that he could take her at
any moment if it was necessary. And he might take her even if it were
not necessary, since he had warned Bentley she must be removed.

The police car raced back uptown so that Bentley could inform himself
of any new developments in the Hervey case. Ellen snuggled against him
gratefully. "You'll have to stick close to me," said Bentley, "until
something happens, or until the exigencies of service draw me away
from you. Then it will be up to Tom Tyler to look after you."

"I can look after myself," she retorted spiritedly. "I'm over age and
not without brains...."

"Yet you went to Washington Square," said Bentley gently. "Didn't it
even seem strange to you that I would have selected such a place as a
rendezvous?"

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