came out in the room above, it happened that
the battery of his own light gave out, and before he could determine his
surroundings he was in utter darkness.

This lasted, however, only a moment, and he was in the act of hastening
forward toward the front of the house, when, with startling suddenness,
the whole place flashed into brilliant illumination, and he found
himself standing at one end of what looked like a Chinese laundry, while
directly in front of him, and not many feet distant, was Mike Grinnel
and three of the men from his place, confronting him, with drawn
revolvers in their hands.

CHAPTER XXV.

THE MAN IN THE BED.

The detective knew in that instant that he could no longer hope to save
his prisoner; that is, to escape with her, and that the chances were
about a thousand to one against his own escape.

That Mike Grinnel was thoroughly incensed, and that he was determined
that the detective should never get out of that place alive, was
apparent in the cold glitter of his eyes, as he looked at Nick across
the barrel of his revolver.

And Nick knew how Grinnel had succeeded in heading him off. He could see
in his mind just what the surprise was in the saloon when the lights
were again turned on and it was discovered that one of the strangers who
had come there with Curly had disappeared, and had taken Black Madge
with him.

Grinnel, knew, of course, that there was only one way out of that place,
which was through the private door back of the bar into the little room
which he used as an office, and thence through that other door behind
the safe, through the narrow corridor, down the stairs into the cellar,
and then up again into the back end of the Chinese laundry.

And Grinnel had lost no time in summoning to his aid three of his most
trusted adherents, and hastening with them to the laundry, where he was
ready to head off the detective's retreat.

It had not been difficult for them to get there and be ready for him
before he could reach the place with his burden; for he had used up a
great deal of time in searching out the secret door behind the safe, and
in finding his way through the cellar.

And, moreover, Mike Grinnel was a man of expedient. Having arranged this
method of escape for himself, if the necessity of it should arise, he
had also prepared the laundry with lights to turn on or to extinguish as
he might desire; and, therefore, having reached the laundry and prepared
himself a