Then, without seeming haste, he passed back into the private office, before the astonished detective could make any attempt to stop him.
Recovering himself quickly, the detective followed the sounds of the retreating footsteps to the cellar stairs. Then, fearful of an ambush, he fired his revolver as a signal to his companion on the roof; and, after striking a match, he cautiously descended, reaching the cellar just in time to see Murdock disappear into the underground passage.
He rushed to the spot; and, unable to find the door, he pounded with all his might upon the shelves, causing the bottles to dance and rattle.
"Come, now," he shouted, "the game's up! You may as well be reasonable. You can't possibly escape, for you're surrounded."
No answer came from within.
The man tried his powerful strength upon the door without any perceptible effect.
When the second detective arrived upon the scene, he found the first one removing the bottles from the shelves by the light of a match held in his left hand.
"Get a light and an axe, Jim. There's a secret door here which we'll have to break in; I can't find any way of opening it."
A few minutes later, the detectives, after dealing upon the shelves some telling blows with an axe, again called upon Murdock to surrender.
Receiving no answer to their summons, the men stood irresolute for a few seconds. Then, with grim determination, they attacked the door; raining the blows upon it fast and furiously, and filling the air with a shower of splinters.