“Is it safe to rely upon him?”
“There will be no safety for him if he disappoints me,” Graff declared, with vicious asperity. “He knows what it will cost and that he’ll pay the price. You know what befell the one treacherous cur who dared to defy me and threatened to expose——”
“Enough of that,” Shannon cut in, with a growl. “I don’t like to think of it, much less talk about it. What has become of Hurst, anyway?”
“I have not seen him since last night, after he searched the rooms of that servile cur.” Graff spoke with an ugly snarl. “He found papers that would have exposed us, but they now are ashes only. Luckily, too, he was in time to down one of the Nick Carter gang, who otherwise would have found the same and had us by the ears.”
“We’ll get you all right, sooner or later,” thought Patsy. “Tim Hurst, eh? The masked man whom Chick encountered. Give us a little more time and we’ll uncover all of these hidden faces.”
“Downed him, did he?” queried Shannon. “He must be a lightweight dick that Tim could down, for all he’s quick and clever.”
Professor Graff laughed for a moment as if much tickled, but his mirth had qualities that sent a chill down Patsy’s spine.
“I had made it easy for him,” Graff replied, still chuckling with evil pride. “He wore an unsuspected weapon, an electrical device of mine that would overcome a horse. Let Tim alone to make good when in a tight place.”
“But it’s near seven,” Shannon growled, glancing at the clock. “If he’s to work with you to-night——”
“He’ll come,” Graff cut in quickly. “He’ll show up on time. He’s due here now.”