There wouldn't be anything doing until after they see me go out again."The hall door opened and the butler reentered the room.Behind him came Cassidy and two other detectives in plain clothes.At a word from his master, the disturbed Thomas withdrew with the intention of obeying the Inspector's directions that he should retire to bed and stay there, carefully avoiding whatever possibilities of peril there might be in the situation so foreign to his ideals of propriety.
"Now," Burke went on briskly, as the door closed behind the servant, "where could these men stay out of sight until they're needed?"There followed a little discussion which ended in the selection of a store-room at the end of the passage on the ground floor, on which one of the library doors opened.
"You see," Burke explained to Gilder, when this matter had been settled to his satisfaction, and while Cassidy and the other detectives were out of the library on a tour of inspection, "you must have things right, when it comes to catching crooks on a frame-up like this.I had these men come to Number Twenty-six on the other street, then round the block on the roofs."Gilder nodded appreciation which was not actually sincere.It seemed to him that such elaborate manoeuvering was, in truth, rather absurd.
"And now, Mr.Gilder," the Inspector said energetically, "I'm going to give you the same tip I gave your man.Go to bed, and stay there.""But the boy," Gilder protested."What about him? He's the one thing of importance to me.""If he says anything more about going to Chicago--just you let him go, that's all! It's the best place for him for the next few days.I'll get in touch with you in the morning and let you know then how things are coming out."Gilder sighed resignedly.His heavy face was lined with anxiety.
There was a hesitation in his manner of speech that was wholly unlike its usual quick decisiveness.
"I don't like this sort of thing," he said, doubtfully."I let you go ahead because I can't suggest any alternative, but I don't like it, not at all.It seems to me that other methods might be employed with excellent results without the element of treachery which seems to involve me as well as you in our efforts to overcome this woman."Burke, however, had no qualms as to such plotting.
"You must have crooked ways to catch crooks, believe me," he said cheerfully."It's the easiest and quickest way out of the trouble for us, and the easiest and quickest way into trouble for them."The return of the detectives caused him to break off, and he gave his attention to the final arrangements of his men.
"You're in charge here," he said to Cassidy, "and I hold you responsible.Now, listen to this, and get it." His coarse voice came with a grating note of command."I'm coming back to get this bunch myself, and I'll call you when you're wanted.You'll wait in the store-room out there and don't make a move till you hear from me, unless by any chance things go wrong and you get a call from Griggs.You know who he is.He's got a whistle, and he'll use it if necessary....Got that straight?" And, when Cassidy had declared an entire understanding of the directions given, he concluded concisely."On your way, then!"As the men left the room, he turned again to Gilder.
"Just one thing more," he said."I'll have to have your help a little longer.After I've gone, I want you to stay up for a half-hour anyhow, with the lights burning.Do you see? I want to be sure to give the Turner woman time to get here while that gang is at work.Your keeping on the lights will hold them back, for they won't come in till the house is dark, so, in half an hour you can get off the job, switch off the lights and go to bed and stay there--just as I told you before." Then Inspector Burke, having in mind the great distress of the man over the unfortunate entanglement of his son, was at pains to offer a reassuring word.
"Don't worry about the boy," he said, with grave kindliness.
"We'll get him out of this scrape all right." And with the assertion he bustled out, leaving the unhappy father to miserable forebodings.
