The man held up his manacled hands.
"Ah, that is a part of my amusement; but here, let's see if you know anything? Are you acquainted with Alphonse Donetti?"
A look of abject terror succeeded the former expression of rage and disappointment that had distorted Argetti's face, and when our hero saw this change to a look of terror there came a rapid beating of his own heart.
"I never heard the name. It is another name of your invention, I think."
The detective laughed and said:
"How strange it is that I so readily invent names of real personages. Why, I really begin to suspect that your name is truly Argetti."
"Why did you ask about Alphonse Donetti?"
"Then you do know him?"
"No, but as you have mentioned that name it may aid me in explaining some grave mistake that has been made in my arrest."
"Oh, there is no such person as Donetti. I was fooling you—hee, hee, hee—but don't you know why the irons were put on you?"