Eva was so interested now that she leaned far over the table, her eyes fastened on the cards as they fell.
A thug stumbled. Eva, startled, sat back quickly and tried to rise. But the next instant she felt herself struggling in the heavy folds of the grimy gunny sack.
The emissaries, carrying Locke, had staggered with their burden into the warehouse cellar until, coming to a closed door, one of them rapped on it in a peculiar manner that was evidently a signal. An instant, and the door opened.
Through it stalked the Automaton.
The monster gazed intently at Locke as though to determine whether it were indeed he, then waved the emissaries on to the shaft of a huge freight elevator.
In the shaft, directly under the elevator platform, they now cast Locke's unconscious body.
"Are you sure the watchman's still up above?" asked one.
"Sure."
"Then give a ring for the basement."
A thug pressed the button that signaled. In a moment, creaking and groaning, the massive elevator started to descend.