Inspector Druet glanced uncertainly at McCarty and the latter nodded, a world of mingled demand and entreaty in the slight gesture. The inspector hesitated for a moment and then drew a deep breath.
“You are!” he replied. “I arrest you, Henry Orbit, for the murders of Alfred Hughes, Horace Goddard and Lucette Guerin!”
The two other officials after a startled glance between them advanced one on each side of Orbit, but he shrugged and took a step forward.
“That being the case, I shall not say another word. Now you may play on this ridiculous farce for the moment. In the meantime, may I ask your indulgence for a few minutes? I desire merely to seat myself at that desk over there and write a short note to the one person in the world most interested, besides myself, in this extraordinary situation. I shall seal and address the envelope and leave it upon the desk, for you to deliver at your discretion. Lock the drawers of the desk if you will; I can assure you, however, that I have no intention of taking any weapon from them to defend myself or attempt assault upon you!”
The contempt in his tone was galling and even the inspector winced beneath it, so compelling and dominant was the personality of the man before him. He nodded.
“Write your note, Mr. Orbit, only make it short. If the news of this gets out before we can take you downtown all the reserves in the city couldn’t protect you!”
Dennis turned in stupefied amazement to McCarty, but the latter was watching Orbit who had seated himself at the desk. He wrote, not hurriedly but without hesitation; a faintly amused smile curved his mobile lips, and when he had finished he sealed the envelope with a steady hand, wrote a name and a single line beneath it, propped it against the inkwell and rose.
“Now, gentlemen, I am at your disposal,” he said. “I am ready to accompany you—if you can find me!”
The last words were uttered in a tone of ringing challenge and his hand slipped beneath the edge of the desk. On the instant, before the five men grouped before him could move or draw a breath the room was filled with rolling billows of black, foul smoke which belched forth in clouds from around the wainscoting of the wall as from the mouth of a volcano, obliterating everything about them.
Startled, warning exclamations came from the two officials and a cry from the inspector: