Page:Arthur Stringer - The Door of Dread.djvu/337

 For one moment the flash-light wavered about the room and then centered white and clear on her startled face. She sank weakly back in her chair, with the cigarette still drooping from her slightly parted lips.

She heard Wilsnach's exclamation of "Good God!" as she reached forward and switched on the electric-lamp. She could see the light shine on his revolver barrel. He was without a hat or coat, and his eyes, in the sudden light, were ridiculously round and blinking.

"Wh—where are they?" he rather vacuously demanded. In the doorway behind him, Sadie saw, stood Romano of the city force, with a gunmetal automatic in his hand.

"Where are they?" repeated Wilsnach.

Kestner himself swung in past Romano as Wilsnach stood still regarding her.

"Didn't you get 'em?" shrilled Sadie.

"Get who?" demanded Kestner.

"Keudell and the others!"

"No!"

"They're in this house then!"

Kestner suddenly relaxed and sank into a chair. Then he shook his head. "They can't."