Locke
glanced at it, then held it where Eva could read:

Combination of Safe
Turn once left to 40
Three right to 18
Once left to 40

As Locke held the paper and Eva's slender hand spun the combination
lock, Balcom and Paul moved silently forward. Although Locke was holding
the paper with the combinations for Eva, he heard them come up behind
him and knew that they were watching. With a quiet smile to himself he
moved the paper over so that they could see it, nor were they slow to
take advantage of the chance. Locke's mind was working fast, and he had
a purpose in what seemed to be carelessness or even foolishness.

A moment later Eva opened the safe and from it she took a typewritten
document of many pages.

It read:

BOARD OF DIRECTORS,

International Patents, Inc.,
New York.

GENTLEMEN,--In view of the government's anti-trust investigation,
I have prepared this list of inventions we have suppressed.
I think we should discuss at our annual meeting
the advisability of surrendering our rights to these inventions,
no matter what may happen to the corporations we have
been protecting.

Very truly yours,

PETER BRENT.

Following this letter was a bulky paper, or rather set of papers, which
detailed the inventions and their history, exposing some of the
nefarious operations of the corporation.

Balcom, as he read the top letter, showed great agitation. As Locke took
the package from Eva, Balcom interrupted:

"That's very dangerous," he said. "If it gets out, the corporations are
ruined."

Locke scarcely replied. Instead, he very ostentatiously replaced the
document in the safe, refusing to intrust it either to Balcom or to
Paul, who withdrew sullenly, leaving Eva alone with Locke in the library
as Locke whirled the combination of the closed safe door.

It was perhaps half an hour later in the secret den of the Automaton in
the rock-hewn foundation of Brent Rock that the emissaries were watching
the arched and dark passage. Suddenly there was the warning clank, and
the huge steel monster strode in.

For some time he stood before the table, giving his instructions by
means of mysterious, cryptic motions.

Meantime, above in Brent Rock, Locke had been busy, for he had conceived
an entirely new plan to capture the Automaton. It was nothing short of
an electric trap, and deadly in its simplicity.

From the wall switch Locke had led wires carrying the house current.
Alread