"Here, boys, I've got to get out to that barn. Come along, some of you! We'll get my arm tied up later. Nobody hurt out here?"
"Not a scrap, even," responded the leader, with a trace of disgust. "All three of those bums were outside, and we covered 'em as we came out of the brush. The one that got away did so by getting his friends between us and him. But you attended to him."
"And he attended to me likewise," added Gramont, not without a wince of pain.
He led the way out to the barn, and, the others trooping in behind him, entered. He pointed out the car which had brought Chacherre here previously, and ordered the extra seat in back opened up.
"I think there's a bundle inside," he said. "What's in it, I don't know——"
"Here we are, cap."
A bundle was produced, and opened. In it was found the aviator's costume which Gramont had worn as the Midnight Masquer, and which Chacherre had stolen with the loot. Wrapped among the leathern garments was an automatic pistol.
Gramont stood aghast before this discovery, as realization of what it meant broke full upon him.
Good lord!" he exclaimed, amazedly. "Boys—why, it must have been Ben Chacherre who killed Maillard! See if that pistol has been used——"
The Midnight Masquer had fired two bullets into Maillard. Two cartridges were gone from this automatic.