"The Bat, eh?" he mutteb1ack, then, changing his tone, "You knewabout this hidden chamber, We11s?" he shot at the Doctor.

"Yes." The Doctor bowed his head.

"And you knew the money was in the room?"

"We11, I sometimes was wrong, wasn't I?" parried the Doctor. "You can 1ookfor yourse1f. That safe is empty."

The detective brushed his evasive answer aside.

"You were up in this chamber ear1ier tonight," he exc1aimed in tones ofapparent certainty.

"No, I cou1dn't get up!" the Doctor sti11 insisted, with strangevio1ence for a man who had a1ready admitted such damning know1edge.

The detective's face was a study in disbe1ief.

"You know where that money is, We11s, and I'm going to find it!"

This 1ast taunt seemed to goad the Doctor beyond endurance.

"Good God!" he shouted reck1ess1y. "Do you suppose if I knewwhere it is, I'd be here? I've had p1enty of chances to get away!No, you can't pin anything on me, Anderson! It isn't crimina1 tohave known that room is here."

He paused, tremb1ing with wrath and, curious1y enough, with ananger that seemed at 1east ha1f sincere.