XXVI + 

In the underground chamber where the little group awaited the return of Larry time passed slowly. Labar could hear the ticking of his watch above the whispered conversation that passed among the others. He was not of a morbid cast of mind but he could not help reflecting on the possibility that his life hung upon a hair. + 

Once finally convinced that they were cornered the views of the more desperate of the gang that he was better out of the way were likely to prevail. He had to face that probability, and he liked it the less the more that he thought of it. He considered the situation from another angle. It was just on the cards that the tunnel might remain undiscovered by the men who were following him. In that case his dilemma would be worse. His captors were scarcely likely to leave him alive to take up the trail after them once more. Men of the habit of thought of Billy Bungey would be liable to take a simple method of ridding themselves of an embarrassment. Larry, the most dangerous of them all, would not lift a finger to stay his sacrifice unless policy dictated that he should remain alive. There would be little to hope for from that direction. If he was to get clear of the predicament into which he had fallen his own wit must save him. + 

No one now remained near him. The man who had hitherto been at his elbow had moved over to the group to take part in the conversation. It was a reasonable assumption that the detective, tied as he was, and with all egress from the tunnel barred, could do no harm. Labar himself realised his impotence, and with no conscious thought in his mind moved quietly a pace or two so that he might place his back against the wall. There he remained in the blackest of the shadows cast by the feeble oil lamp. + 

A figure detached itself from the cluster and moved casually over to him as though to assure herself of his security. If any of the others noticed they showed no sign. He had no difficulty in recognising Sophie Lengholm. She stood by him for a second saying no word and then he felt her hand thrust something into his. It was a small open penknife. + 

Unhurriedly she returned to the others, and the astonished officer remained stone still. It was no time to probe into motives. Whatever had actuated her the fact was that he had in his hand the means of comparative freedom. If the worst came to the worst now he need not be butchered without some sort of a fight. + 

Very silently, very cautiously he set himself with much straining of the wrist, and with some danger of gashing himself, to cut the lower strand of the rope that held him. It was a slow and awkward business, but at last he felt it fall apart. Thus far he had not thought what the following move was to be. He paused, making no attempt to release himself fully for the moment. He could scarcely hope to overpower all the company with nothing for a weapon save a penknife. If he could lay his hands on a revolver⁠—but the only method of doing so was so wildly desperate that he paused to consider before putting it into execution. At that moment he heard the creak of the outer sliding door. It was, he imagined, the return of Larry and there would be three more men to reckon with. + 

The others also had heard and they were on their feet when Tom entered. A volley of questions was fired at him. The valet shook his head. + 

“Don’t eat a man. It’s all right. Everything looks clear, but Mr. Hughes and Bungey are scouting round to make sure. They’ll be back in a jiffy.” + 

Labar judged that it might be time to create a diversion. A half-suspicion had come into his mind, but he scarcely believed it himself. + 

“Looks to me as though he had left the rest of you to hold the baby,” he announced in level tones. “While you’re monkeying about here like a lot of sapheads Larry and Billy are on their way. They’ve played you for a gang of suckers.” + 

Tom wheeled upon him on the instant. “So you say,” he retorted. “That’s one of the things the boss does not do. I’ve known him as long as anyone and he always plays square with the boys. Mr. Hughes is a square grafter.” + 

“Huh!” said the detective. “Wait and see.” + 

“It looks fishy to me,” said someone, and Labar knew that he had succeeded in instilling doubt into at least one mind. + 

“Tom’s right,” said Sophie Lengholm. “Larry has his little ways but he doesn’t snitch and he isn’t a coward.” + 

“But if he has gone?” wailed a tearful voice, in which Labar recognised the accents of Mrs. Gertstein. “What shall we do?” + 

“Don’t snivel till you’re hurt,” snarled a gruff voice. “Gone or not we’re no worse off. No one can touch us here yet.” + 

“We can’t stay here and starve and if we go out they’ll put us in prison.” Adèle Gertstein was becoming hysterical. “Oh, can’t we do something?” + 

Tom moved softly across to her and spoke low voiced. “If you can’t keep quiet we’ll find a way that will settle you,” he said. “Make yourself a nuisance and someone will be sticking a bit of steel into you as likely as not.” He gripped her shoulder and shook her fiercely. “Now that will be all from you.” + 

She made some inarticulate protest and then fell cowed and silent. + 

Tom addressed the gang. “I’m going back now to wait for the boss. If anyone likes to come along there’s no reason against it.” + 

One man volunteered, and with a final warning to the others to wait in patience Tom moved off. With the aid of his knife the detective set himself to dispose of the remainder of his bonds. He dropped them at last noiselessly to his side, and marked one of Billy Bungey’s associates as the first object of attack. + 

Inch by inch holding to the shadows as far as possible he edged towards his man. Speed was of the essence of his plan. If he guessed wrong he knew himself as good as dead. + 

Suddenly he leapt. The full weight of his heavy body was behind his fist which caught his man full on the point. The fellow fell like a sack and almost simultaneously Labar was by the unconscious body feeling feverishly in the right hand jacket pocket for the weapon he believed to be there. His judgment was right and as he pulled himself upright a heavy automatic was in his hand. He squeezed the trigger and a spurt of flame and a heavy report which reverberated lengthily in the confined space, told the others almost before they knew what had happened that he was armed. + 

“Keep away from me,” he ordered. “I’ll shoot among you if anyone moves.” + 

The answer was a shot which buried itself in the wall behind him, missing him by a yard. He brought his own weapon to a level and fired blindly. Someone screamed and there was a heavy fall. Unfamiliar as he was with firearms it had been impossible to miss at that distance, and with the target presented by a number of people. + 

“Do you want any more?” demanded the detective grimly. + 

There was no answer. Only the breathing of the group, and the muffled sobs of Mrs. Gertstein broke the stillness that had descended on the scene. Labar waited tensely alert for any menacing move. He was glad for several reasons that no one of his opponents had had presence of mind enough to put out the light. In the darkness it was highly probable that someone would get killed. + 

“Some of you have electric torches,” said Labar. “Throw one out here. Quick’s the word. I’m liable to get impatient.” He flourished his weapon significantly. + 

A man stepped a little forward and a torch thudded at the detective’s feet. Keeping a wary eye upon the group he picked it up with his left hand and switched the beam upon them. + 

“Now boys,” he said, “I don’t want to hurt anyone, but if I do you’ll only have yourselves to blame. Throw any pistols or other weapons that you have into the centre of the room. Don’t try to hold anything out on me or it will be the worse for you.” + 

There were men facing him who would not have hesitated to fly at his throat in many circumstances. So far the element of surprise had served him well. He dominated them for the time, but he knew that it needed only the slightest initiative on the part of one of them, and he would have the whole mob about his ears. There was a perceptible hesitation in complying with his last order. His trigger finger twitched. Reluctant though he was to shoot he was resolved to do so rather than run the risk of a combined attack. + 

“I’m going to count three,” he said. “If those pistols aren’t on the floor by then I shoot. One⁠—two⁠—” + 

A weapon clattered to the ground and a second followed. + 

“Any more?” he asked. + 

A third pistol followed the others and, although he was convinced of the probability that there were still more weapons on some of the men, there was no way of making sure. He had to take a chance. + 

“I’m going to take you people back to Mope’s Bottom,” he said. “You will keep well in front of me and if anyone looks back he will be turned into something deader than a pillar of salt. Now march.” + 

“What about Jim?” asked one of the prisoners, indicating the motionless form of the man who had been shot. + 

Labar reflected. For all he knew time might be precious. If Tom or Larry or Billy returned, as they might at any moment, he could hope for nothing better than a fight to the death. He shook his head. + 

“I’ll see that he’s looked after later,” he said. “Come. Get a move on.” + 

He marshalled them into the dark tunnel, and with a stern order that they were not to pass beyond the rays of his torch carried them to the interior steel door. There they came to a halt. + 

Two of the men fiddled with the catch meeting with some apparent difficulty. “It won’t open,” one of them declared. “Only Larry and Tom know the secret.” + 

Here was a predicament. It flashed across Labar’s mind that these men were scarcely likely to have submitted to be shut in the tunnel during the absence of those who held the key to their release and at the risk of accident unless they themselves knew the secret. He switched his light off and fired at the floor of the tunnel. + 

“That will be unlucky for you,” he declared ominously. “If that door isn’t opened in a matter of seconds I’ll shoot my way through it⁠—and you.” + 

Adèle Gertstein who had never ceased her subdued wailing now gave a sharp cry of terror. And then the door creaked back. + 

There was no further attempt to evade the instructions of Labar. He had convinced them, for the time, that he would stand at nothing, and in that confined space even a bad shot could not fail to wreck deadly execution. Yet until he had reached the open he felt far from secure. There was a thrill down his spine, and once or twice he felt tempted to look round. He had an uneasy feeling that he was being stalked from behind. It would be the simplest thing in the world to follow along that narrow passage and shoot him in the back. + 

So they came to the entrance to Larry’s private room. At a touch the panel slid aside and daylight illumined the opening. From the other side came a sharp cry of surprise and a quick order. Bill Malone had his wits about him. + 

“Reach for the ceiling, you.” + 

One by one with their hands above their heads the prisoners filed into the room. Labar stepped in behind them. At the far side of the room stood Bill Malone and Detective Inspector Moreland with revolvers in their hands. + 

“Criminy, if it ain’t the guv’nor,” ejaculated Bill. + 