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 CHAPTER XIX

ATTACK AND DEFENSE

"You see," said Fudge, taking another bite of his banana and talking from the side of his mouth, "this fellow, 'Young Sleuth,' finds that when, when the old chap—Middleton, I mean, the millionaire that was found murdered"

"I remember," replied Dick, opening a sandwich to examine the contents.

"Well, 'Young Sleuth' discovers that when Middleton was a young man, before he made all his money, he was a member of a band of Nihilists."

"Nihilists?" queried Dick doubtfully.

"Well, Socialists, I guess. Anyway, they used to meet in a cellar and plot. And it turns out that Middleton was stung with the job to kill a man. They'd draw lots, you know, and one time he drew the piece of paper that had the black dagger on it, and that meant that he was the goat."