Page:The Master of Mysteries (1912).djvu/83

 Astro turned to McGraw, "You'd better turn this poor fellow loose, I think. He's innocent enough. I know what I want to know now."

"What do you know?" said the detective peevishly. "Seems to me it's time I was put wise to some of this game, ain't it?"

"I'll tell you in ten minutes, if you'll telephone a question to headquarters, or to the proper precinct, and find out if there has been any complaint made of the loss of a pocketbook containing a ten-dollar bill, a fiftycent piece of the old-fashioned paper currency, and a horn-handled shoe-buttoner. If there has, you'll want your friend Bull O'Kennery for that piece of work, too."

McGraw rose wonderingly and went to the telephone.

Astro called after him, "Tell them that if any one does appear with that complaint, to arrest him immediately and disarm him."

Valeska waited till the detective had gone into the hall. "It was the girl, then. I see!" she cried. "But how in the world did she ever expect to collect the money without being caught?"

"That's the cleverest part of it," answered the Seer meditatively. "You remember that she sent word to him the last time to have a thousand dollars with him night and day, and she'd let him know how to transfer the money?"

"Yes; but she hasn't let him know, so far."

"But she will to-night. You forget that to-morrow is the twelfth, the last day."

Valeska, extremely puzzled even yet as to how a