Again volleys were exchanged, and shrieks of pain told that some of the bullets had found human marks. The lieutenant was bellowing his commands, urging his men to guard doors and windows. In the darkness it was impossible to tell policeman from criminal, and both sides ceased firing.
There came a rush, and some of the Black Star’s men reached the door that opened into the hall and threw it open. They were met by a stream of light from the corridor, and saw more policemen standing there awaiting them, their weapons held ready; there was no escape that way.
The light made it possible for the police to shoot again, and two of the criminals went to the floor badly wounded. Others ran to the front windows, but there was no way of escape there, for it was three stories to the ground; nor could they reach the rear windows and fire escape, for the police were on guard there.
They were cornered in the lodge hall, and knew it. To each of them came the thought that prison was better than death—for no murder was charged against the Black Star’s band. And they had faith in their master and his organization—arrest did not mean prison necessarily.
“Throw down them guns, or take it!” the lieutenant commanded.
One of the Black Star’s lieutenants groaned, threw down his gun, and put up his hands. Then the others followed his example. They couldn’t understand how the police happened to be there—the Black Star had almost always managed to lead them astray before. They began wondering how it fared with the Black Star and the others on the floor below.
“Once too often this gang has tried to put over something!” the lieutenant said as his men snapped handcuffs on the crestfallen criminals. “We’ve got you this time, and you’ll do a long stretch each.”
“We was only holdin’ a meetin’,” one of the men replied.
“Yeh? I know all about that meetin’. Masks on your faces, and the Black Star and some more down in the bank, and Muggs bound and gagged in a chair—and you was only holdin’ a meetin’. Down to the wagon you go now, and straight to the hoosgow!”
Muggs was not listening to this tirade of the lieutenant’s. No sooner had he seen that the battle was over than he had raced across the hall to the wall where the Black Star had touched a hidden button and caused an aperture to show there. He pressed the wall frantically, but with no result. He covered every square inch of it near where he had seen the Black Star put his hand, but no opening appeared.