they disappeared. He didn't recognize me,
and thought I was one of his enemies--one of Paddington's men, like
young Charley Pennold.

"You remember, I told you I found the kitten in the deserted house and
brought it home for Mrs. Quinlan to take care of? Well, she never
lights the gas until the very last minute, and late this afternoon,
about half an hour ago, I was stumbling along the second-floor hallway
to my room in the dark, when I stepped on the kitten. It yelled like
mad, and Emily heard it from her room above. Forgetting caution and
everything else, she opened the door and called it!

"Of course, when I heard her voice, I was upstairs two steps at a
time, with the cat under my arm clawing like a vixen. She was
perfectly freezing at first--not the cat; it's a he; I mean Emily. But
after I explained that when I'd gotten to care for her I only tried to
help her, she--oh, well, I'm going to let her tell you herself, if
you're willing, sir! I'll bring them both down to you now, if you say
so, she and her father. Jimmy Brunell's more than anxious to see you;
he wants to make a clean breast of the whole affair--tell all he knows
about the case; and I think what he's got to say will astonish you and
finish the whole thing--crack that nut you were talking to me about
this afternoon, provide the link in the chain, the crevice in the
crime cube! May I bring them?"

Blaine acquiesced, and after issuing his orders to the subordinates
about him, waited in a fever of impatience which he could scarcely
control, and which, had he stopped to think of it, would have
astonished him beyond measure. That he--who had daily, almost hourly,
awaited unmoved the appearance of men famous and infamous, illustrious
and obscure, should so agitatedly view the coming of this old
offender, was incomprehensible.

Yet although he had really learned little that was conclusive from
Guy's somewhat incoherent account, he felt, in common with his young
operative, that the crux of the matter lay here, to his hand, that
from the lips of this old ex-convict would fall the magic word which
would open to him the inner door of this mystery of mysteries--which
would prove, as the golden key of truth, absolute and unassailable.

After what seemed an incredibly long period of suspense, the door
opened and Marsh ushered them in--Morrow, his face wreathed in triumph
and smiles; a brown-haired, serene-eyed girl whom Blaine remembered
from his memorable inte