“Tell me, then, as I told you.”
Guelpa spoke with a scornful sneer, but looks of apprehension had arisen to the faces of his four confederates.
“Why not, then, as you said?” Nick retorted. “Don’t imagine for a moment, Guelpa, that you lured me blindly into a net. I knew the instant I saw you in my office this evening that you were not Chester Clayton.”
“Rot!” cried Guelpa derisively. “If you knew that, why did you walk into the trap?”
“So as to get a line on your confederates, these fellows,” said Nick curtly.
“I don’t believe it.”
“I will tell you, then, something that you will believe,” said Nick.
“What is that?”
“That your name is not Guelpa. Your true name is David Margate. You are an English crook. You were convicted of burglary twelve years ago, and sent up for five years. You are——”
“Stop!” cried Margate, ghastly white. “How did you learn that? How do you know——”