The seconds dragged by.
Boom!
An ear-splitting report rent the air.
Adelina had fired the bomb and was doubtless drawing in the wire, preparatory to running out and playing the other part assigned to her.
Without a second’s delay the two detectives swarmed over the fence and ran silently toward the rear of the private hospital, with Doctor Cooke close at their heels.
CHAPTER III.
AN APPALLING SIGHT.
They heard a commotion in Grantley’s house, and the scuffling of many feet as they ran across the yard.
Evidently the occupants were scurrying to the front to see what had happened. The ruse seemed to have worked so far. It remained to be seen how successfully the rest would turn out.
Nick and his companions were already under cover back of the doctor’s house before any one emerged at the front.
They found the rear door locked, and left it alone after giving the knob one quick wrench. The nearest windows were all fastened, but Nick’s jimmy was put to use at once, and in half a minute a sharp click told that the catch had given way.