Chick arrived there just in time, moreover, to hear from the back area the arrival of Nick and Guelpa, both of whose voices he immediately recognized.
“This does settle it,” he congratulated himself. “I’ll get in there and hold up the whole gang. If I can get all of them under my guns—well, there’ll be nothing more to it.”
It took Chick some little time, however, to noiselessly force a rear basement window.
The scene in the front parlor was in rapid progress all the while.
Chick got in unheard and was stealing up to the adjoining room, just as Guelpa rushed out of the house.
It was impossible to stop him, but Chick had heard enough to show him the way.
The four men in the front parlor then were in animated discussion of what had been said. Thy had no thought of another intruder. The portière masking the door of the rear room had fallen back into place.
Chick crept into the room from the hall, and he then discovered Patsy Garvan bound to the chair. He stole nearer and liberated him, then slipped him one of his revolvers.
Not a word passed between them.
Ten seconds later, however, the portière was flung aside and both detectives stepped into the room, with revolvers leveled.