He crossed the street and entered the, alley and gazed up at the

fire-escape down which Mason had made his escape. What impelled the

detective to leap up and catch the lower bars of the ground-ladder he

could not have told you. He pulled himself up and climbed to the

window.

Open!

Haggerty had nerves like steel wires, but a slight shiver ran down his

spine. Open, and Crawford yet on the high seas. He waited, listening

intently. Not a sound of any sort came to his ears. He stepped inside

courageously and slipped with his back to the wall, where he waited,

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holding his breath.

Click! It seemed to come from his right.

"Come out o' that!" he snarled. "No monkey-business, or I'll shoot."

He flashed his pocket-lamp toward the sound, and aimed.

A blow on the side of the head sent the detective crashing against a

cartonnage, and together the quick and the dead rolled to the floor.

Instinctively Haggerty turned on his back, aimed at the window and

fired.

Too late!




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