“Bob, Bob, are you hurt?” demanded the ace federal agent.
Bob managed to shake his head. Just then he was too exhausted even to talk.
As he watched the flashlights swept around the room, revealing its wild disorder. Then the lights focused on the form of a man sprawled out under the nearest desk and Bob caught his breath for the man was in a uniform of one of the night watchmen. So that was the reason why there had been no response to his calls for help; the marauder had been the guard!
Merritt Hughes stepped over to the unconscious form and gazed at the man’s face.
“You certainly landed a haymaker on one eye,” he told Bob. “Know who he is?” Bob managed to sit up where he could glimpse the other man.
“He’s the guard who was on duty tonight,” he said, “but I don’t know his name. He is a new man.”
Merritt Hughes chuckled grimly.
“Well, he’s going to a lot different place. Maybe he’ll be able to remember his name and tell us a few things when he wakes up. Now just what happened here?”
“It’s a long story,” began Bob.
“Then save it until we’re alone later. Was anyone else running around up here tonight except yourself and the guard?”