Cautiously he stepped forward in the darkness, a revolver in one hand; with the other he fumbled for the electric lamp in his breast pocket.
As his fingers closed upon it a slight noise behind him brought him right-about in a flash.
The figure of a man who was climbing in over the low ledge was silhouetted vaguely in the frame of the broken window.
"Ah!" hissed Duquesne. "Quick! speak! Who is that?"
"Ssh! my Duquesne!" came a thick voice. "Do you think, then, I can leave so beautiful a case to anyone?"
Duquesne turned the beam of the lantern on the speaker.
It was Victor Lemage.
Duquesne bowed, lantern in hand.
"Waste no moment," snapped Lemage. "Try that door!" pointing to the only one in the room.
As the other stepped forward to obey, the famous investigator made a comprehensive survey of the little kitchen, for such it was. Save for its few and simple appointments, it was quite empty.