Verbeck reached the instrument in two bounds, and Muggs and Riley were close behind him, ready for a dash, Muggs with his hand on the doorknob.
“Hello!” Verbeck cried.
“Hello! Hello! Mr. Verbeck?”
It was a woman’s voice, one that Verbeck never had heard before, an excited woman’s voice.
“This is Mr. Verbeck.”
“Listen! I may not have a chance to repeat! Do you want to locate the Black Star before he commits his crime? Do you want to learn why he has heard everything you’ve said there?”
“Who is this?” Verbeck tried to control his voice and speak in a matter-of-fact way.
“Never mind my name. I have a reason for what I am now doing. You must act quickly. Take all the help you can get. You have police there—take them all!”
“Yes; but what——”
“Listen, please! I will not have a chance to telephone again. Look around your living room. Look at the center leg of your table. And then—follow the wire! All the help you can get—act quickly—and follow the wire!”