The men in that police squad were what might be ordinarily termed brave men.
But not one of them cared to follow the two detectives.
But Old King Brady, Gotham’s greatest detective, and his protege and pupil, Harry Brady, knew that if the mystery was to be solved, great risk must be incurred.
So they plunged unhesitatingly into the burning dwelling. The possibility of death never deterred either from exact fulfillment of duty.
They dashed through the smoke and reached the foot of a flight of stairs.
As near as he could, Old King Brady located the fire.
He believed that it was confined to a point in the rear of the tenement and had, as yet, not extended beyond one room.
Each of the detectives carried a dark-lantern.
It could hardly furnish light enough to penetrate the pall of stifling smoke, but yet enabled them to find their way up the stairs.
Choking and gasping they made their way bravely from room to room.