“Bring in Mr. Jones,” called Nick to Chick.
Parks and Chick entered on the instant. Nick could not help admiring the man’s nerve.
His one chance in the world was that the gang would not recognize him.
And he had seen his disguise—the most utterly impenetrable which ever shrouded the face of any human being.
He remembered the swarthy skin, the flashing black eyes, the beard of the color of a raven’s wing.
Yet when he appeared a cry broke from every crook’s throat in that criminal assembly.
“Helstone! Helstone!” they shouted.
Miller and one other actually burst their bonds in the frenzy of their wrath against the man whom they believed had betrayed them.
And Morton Parks stood there utterly at a loss for a defense. The recognition was too sudden and unanimous.
How had it happened? How could they have seen through that wonderful mask?