They now repeated the question by writing it on a sheet of paper.
Shadow looked at it, his face brightened, and seizing the pencil, he scribbled the reply:
"I knew him for a detective! I thought you'd rush in on him in the dark and slug him!"
The villains looked at each other. There was reason in it. Darkness might easily have proved an aid to them, although, as it chanced, it had really opened the way for the detective's escape.
Then they scrutinized Shadow closely, and tried to intimidate him by saying they did not believe it. But when they wrote this on paper, Shadow only shrugged his shoulders on reading it.
Then they discussed the advisability of letting him go or putting him out of the way.
"There's no good in killing him, as I can see," one said finally. "It might easily be a bad thing, for there's no tellin' who may show up here afore the body could be got rid of," and in this view all at last concurred.
Shadow was led to the door and pointed out. He hastily gained the street—and disappeared.