Then, smiling at Dale
encouragingly, he crossed over to the satchel, Dale at his heels.
Miss Cornelia watched him fumble at the catch of the bag--even
Lizzie drew closer. For a moment even the Unknown was forgotten.
Bailey gave a triumphant cry.
"The money's here!"
"Oh, thank God!" sobbed Dale.
It was an emotional moment. It seemed to have penetrated even
through the haze enveloping the injured man in his chair. Slowly
he got up, like a man who has been waiting for his moment, and now
that it had come was in no hurry about it. With equal deliberation
he drew the revolver and took a step forward. And at that instant
a red glare appeared outside the open window and overhead could be
heard the feet of the searchers, running.
"Fire!" screamed Lizzie, pointing to the window, even as Beresford's
voice from the roof rang out in a shout. "The garage is burning!"
They turned toward the door to escape, but a strange and menacing
figure blocked their way.
It was the Unknown--no longer the bewildered stranger who had
stumbled in through the living-room door--but a man with every
faculty of mind and body alert and the light of a deadly purpose
in his eyes. He covered the group with Miss Cornelia's revolver.
"This door is locked and the key is in my pocket!" he said in a
savage voice as the red light at the window grew yet more vivid
and muffled cries and tramplings from overhead betokened universal
confusion and alarm.
CHAPTER TWENTY
"HE IS--THE BAT!"
Lizzie opened her mouth to scream.
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