"
The jimmy was thrust back into position, and:
"Stand clear!" cried Burton.
Again he threw his weight upon the bar--and again.
"Drive it further in!" said Monte Irvin; and snatching up the heavy
hammer, he rained blows upon the steel butt. "Now try."
Burton exerted himself to the utmost.
"Take hold up here, someone!" he panted. "Two of us can pull."
Gray leapt forward, and the pair of them bent to the task.
There came a dull report of parting mechanism, more sounds of
splintering wood . . . and the door rolled open!
A moment of tense silence, then:
"Is anyone inside there?" cried the Inspector loudly.
Not a sound came from the dark interior.
"The lantern!" whispered Monte Irvin.
He stumbled into the room, from which a heavy smell of perfume swept
out upon the landing. Quentin Gray, snatching the lantern from the
floor, where it had been replaced, was the next to enter.
"Look for the switch, and turn the lights on!" called the Inspector,
following.
Even as he spoke, Gray had found the switch, and the apartment of
Kazmah became flooded with subdued light.
A glance showed it to be unoccupied.
Gray ran across to the mushrabiyeh cabinet and jerked the curtains
aside. There was no one in the cabinet.
Pages:
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57