“No, no, you—er—you shall not!” stormed the woman, and Dick heard her shove the old man back.
“Mr. Mason, for the last time, will you let me in?” shouted Dick.
“Yes! yes!” answered the old man. “But Mrs. Sobber won’t let me open the door.”
“Then I’ll open it myself,” answered Dick, and hurled his weight against the barrier. It was old and dilapidated and gave way with ease; and a moment later Dick stepped into the hallway of the old house.
CHAPTER XXI
FROM ONE CLUE TO ANOTHER
“Now, what do you want?” asked the old man, as he eyed Dick, curiously.
“I want to talk to that woman, first of all,” cried Dick, and he pointed to Mrs. Sobber, who was just disappearing through a door in the rear of the hallway.
“But what does this mean?” went on Mr. Mason, in a faint voice. “I have done nothing wrong.” And now he sank on a rush-bottomed chair, all out of breath. He was very old, and his hair and his face were exceedingly white.
“I’ll be back and tell you,” went on Dick. He could see at a glance that the old owner of the building had had nothing to do with the stealing of the fortune or the abduction of Mrs. Stanhope.
Dick ran to the door at the back of the hallway, to find it locked. He threw his weight against it, but it did not give way.