t your kind interest in my playthings, I'm sure," he purred.
"Only it leaves me in an embarrassing position. I'm not exactly sure
what to do about it. Kindly step inside while I think."

Phil made a move sidewise along the wall.

"Stop!" barked Costello sharply. "Of course," his voice was quiet
again, "that might be the simplest way out. I think I am within my
legal rights if I shoot people who are trying to break into my
property. Yet, that would be messy--not neat. Better step in. The
window swings outward."

At the point of his pistols they clambered through the window, and he
came in after them. He kept on talking, as though to himself, but loud
enough for them to hear.

"Yes, we want some way out that is neater than that. Hm! Violence
distresses me. Never liked Ed's rough methods. Yet, this is
embarrassing."

He turned to them.

"What did you really want here? I see that you are the _Examiner's_
reporter, and that you are the lady of the photograph. What did you
come here for? Ah, yes, the safe. Well, go over and look at it."

As they hesitated, he stamped his foot and shrilled crankily:

"I mean it! Go, look at the safe! Is there anything else you want to
know?"

"Yes," said Phil coolly, his self-control returning, "where are the
other safes?"

"Oh. Anything to oblige. Last requests are a sort of point of honor,
aren't they. Ought to grant them. Stand close to that safe!"

* * * * *

He backed away, his guns levelled at them. He laid down the right one,
keeping the left one aimed, and moved some knobs on a dial and threw
over a big switch. A muffled rumbling and whirring began somewhere;
and then, slowly, a block of tables and apparatus ten feet square rose
upward toward the ceiling. A section of the floor on which they stood
came up, supported by columns, and now formed the roof of a room that
had risen out of the floor. In it were four safes.

"Poor old Ed!" sighed Tony. "There was a time when he had a lot of
good stuff put away down there. I've got six rooms like that. Well,
the good old times are over."

He threw out the switch and the whole mass sank slowly and silently
downward till the floor was level and there was no further sign of it.
Then he backed away to another table, across the room from them,
keeping his gun levelled.

"Too bad," he said. "I don't like to do these things. But--" he sighed
deeply, "self-preservation. Now I'm going to flip you out, y