Part 46 (1/2)
”What's out that way?” asked Kearney, pointing to the panel door that opened upon the backstairs hallway.
”Kitchen,” said Gladwin, going to the door and opening it.
”Oh, yes,” said Kearney, ”the captain's back there?”
”But look here, detective,” cried Barnes again, ”who was that inordinate a.s.s who locked me up?”
”Ryan!” said Kearney, freezing a smile as it formed on his lips.
”Where is he?”
”On the roof.”
”What the deuce is he doing on the roof?”
”Searching it.”
”Well,” stormed Barnes, ”I'll go up there and if he don't unlock me I'll push him off.”
He dashed out of the room and up the stairs.
”Funny thing where that man got to, Mr. Gladwin,” mused the Central Office man, with a keen glance from under his heavy eyebrows.
”Yes, those chaps are clever, aren't they?” returned the young man with affected unconcern. ”I suppose he's miles away by this time.”
”I don't think he's gone very far,” rejoined Kearney, his voice bristling with suspicion. ”He couldn't have got away without the men outside seeing him. We've got the block surrounded now. He's here in this house, Mr. Gladwin--I guess you know that.”
”I don't know anything of the kind,” Gladwin denied, with a trifle too much emphasis. A policeman appeared in the doorway and Kearney called to him, ”Ryan, I thought you were on the roof.”
”Sergeant Burke sent me down,” responded Ryan. ”We've got the roofs covered both way.”
”Did you see the man you put the bracelets on?” asked Kearney.
”No,” replied Ryan, ”but I heard a lot of noise going up one of the back stairways.”
”You better go and find him,” urged Travers Gladwin. ”He's in an awful state.”
”No,” countermanded Kearney, ”never mind him now.”
”But you're wasting time here,” persisted Gladwin. ”I can look after this room.”
”_Oh, no, you can't!_” Kearney flashed back.
”Why not?”
”Because you're under arrest. I was after you when I happened to find the other fellow. I haven't any idea you'll try and escape, Mr.
Gladwin, but a warrant is a warrant and duty's duty.”
”But that warrant wasn't meant for me.”