A chuckle followed the last word, and Danny's face grew white and ghastly.
The stairs seemed to creak beneath the detective's feet.
He did not know whither he was going, but he thought that Old Danny had taken the bait and was lighting him to the man he had tracked across the sea.
He intended to end the chase there and then.
He would drag Merle Macray before the authorities of Melbourne, and would not relinquish his hold till he had the murderer of Custer Kipp back in New York.
But suddenly he thought of the conversation he had overheard between Old Danny and Merle concerning the person called Stareyes.
What did Merle mean about the tenth step?
It came to Old Broadbrim's mind like a flash of light in darkness.
It thrilled him.
He had gone down six steps of the stairs, and Old Danny's light did not show him the bottom.