“Ah! He left an ante-mortem statement?”
“He did.”
“And it is now in the hands of the police department?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you.”
In half an hour the stranger had called at police headquarters, had introduced himself and had been cordially welcomed.
At his request, the statement made out by Gardner was brought out for inspection.
It had nothing whatever to say about the robbery, but nevertheless, it had an indirect value.
Some time between two and three o’clock in the morning, so ran the statement, Gardner was rounding the block, trying doors as he went.
When opposite the entrance to the alley in the rear of the bank he heard a sound that aroused his attention.