The men removed their masks in their excitement and their pale
visages shone like so many corpses as all leaned forward and listened
and looked.

In the doorway stood two men, armed with repeating rifles. Behind them
crowded others, and at that instant every one of those wretches know
that defeat and capture stared them in the face. All their labor, all
their cunning and their skill had come to naught. All realized that the
greatest detective feat on record had been accomplished. All knew that
there was no escape, unless quickly with their own hands they freed
themselves through the grave.

The detectives filed into the room, but the siren had recovered her
nerve. She saw and realized that she had not played but had been played.
Quickly she drew a revolver, aimed at Oscar and fired, but our hero's
quick eye detected her movement. It was not the first time he had dodged
a bullet. The woman fired but the one shot. The next instant the darbies
were on her tender wrists, and we will add that no resistance was
offered. The men, as intimated, were well up in their trade. From the
first instant they knew that in plain, vulgar language, their "jig was
up." Every man quietly submitted. Life was dear to them. Every man had
been behind prison walls. A surrender meant a return to jail; resistance
meant death. They, as stated, all accepted the situation and quietly
surrendered.

Immediately the detectives set to work to gather up their spoils and
learn the full value of their wondrous victory. It proved to be a
complete victory indeed. All the manufactured stock was secured, the
flood of counterfeits was averted, for the well-being of the business
community. The plates even that had cost thousands and thousands of
dollars were captured. They were never buried in the cellar to be found
by some future archaeologist. To conclude it was the greatest capture of
counterfeiters' outfit ever made, and to Cad Metti and Oscar belonged
all the credit; and from the profession and the government they received
it. Dudie Dunne went up to the top as a great officer, and in a future
narrative we will relate where these two wonderful people once more
entered the field and accomplished great results. We will also tell the
romance of the life of the bright, beautiful Italian girl who from
choice became a female detective strategist.

THE END.

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