Then the four men moved down into the cellar and secured Brower and his companion.
"We have made a good haul," said one of the police officers who accompanied Bernard and Paul, who recognized in Brower an old offender.
Harry Bernard bent quickly and anxiously over the prostrate detective.
"My soul!" uttered the young man, "the villains have killed poor Darrel, I do believe."
But the young man's belief was unfounded, since some time later Dyke Darrel came to his senses. He was in a bad condition, however, and those who saw him predicted that the detective had followed his last trail. A search of the building brought to light Madge Scarlet, who was fuming angrily over her imprisonment.
"How did this happen?" demanded Bernard, sternly, when he came to question the hag. She was sullen, however, and refused to answer.
"I imagine there is a way to bring your tongue into working order," said Bernard, in a stern voice.
"I keep a respectable house, sir; you can't harm me."
"We'll see about that."
"Did you find any one?" questioned the jezabel in an apparently careless tone.