ing a liquid.
To-night, after returning to your hotel, you will seek Frank Merriwell's
room. If you find him in bed, all the better. You must take him
unawares. You must uncork that vial and fling the contents into his
face. This you will do!"

Although filled with indignation and horror, Dade answered:

"I will."

"Good! It is enough. I----"

He stopped speaking, interrupted by the furious ringing of a bell. Then
came another man rushing into the room, shaking with excitement, who
announced that there were many men at the door and others all round the
house. Apparently they were officers.

"Frank has turned the trick!" exultingly thought Morgan. "He has the
wretch trapped!"

But he remained motionless.

Hagan and Cavendale were greatly excited. They hurried from the room,
followed by "the chief."

The ringing at the doorbell continued. Then heavy blows fell on the
door, resounding through the house. There was the sound of smashing
wood.

"Come on, Merry!" laughed Morgan. "You have him this time! Don't let him
get away!"

He had leaped up. He heard the door burst open. He heard some one
approaching on the jump. With a spring he concealed himself behind a
high-backed chair in the corner.

Hagan burst into the room, followed by "the chief."

"It's caught ye are, Mr. Lazaro!" said the disgusted Irishman. "They
have us all! It's bad for me, but for you it means life behind the
bars."

"Never!" was the retort. "See this vial, Senor Hagan? It contains
poison. I shall swallow----"

A policeman appeared in the doorway.

The man of the terrible eyes and snowy hair placed the vial to his lips
and swallowed the contents. Then he flung the empty vial at the officer,
staggered to a chair, dropped upon it, and laughed a horrible laugh that
ended with what seemed a death rattle.

Morgan had risen. In a dazed condition he saw officers swarm into the
room, saw Hagan--who had been introduced to him as Harrigan--handcuffed,
saw Frank Merriwell bending over a limp, still form and declaring the
man was Lazaro.

"He has swallowed poison!" cried Dade, arousing himself at last, and
rushing forward. "I saw him do it!"

The eyes of Lazaro--those fearful eyes--were lifted to the face of Frank
Merriwell for a moment. A haze seemed spreading over them. The lips of
the man moved. Silence fell on the room, and all present heard him say:

"Merriwell, you have brought death to me at last. To escape you and to
escape imprison