"So we seem to have come to the end of this affair, gentlemen," he
observed as he waved his visitors to chairs on either side of him.
"Except, of course, for the unpleasant consequences which must
necessarily result to the men we caught to-day. However, there will be no
consequences--of that sort--for one of them. Schmall has--escaped us!"

"Got away!" exclaimed Fullaway. "Great Scott you don't mean that!"

"Schmall committed suicide this afternoon," replied the chief calmly.
"Clever man--in his own line, which was a very bad line. He was searched
most narrowly and carefully, so I've come to the conclusion that he
carried some of his subtle poison in his mouth--the hollow tooth dodge,
no doubt. Anyway, he's dead--they found him dead in his cell. It's a
pity--for he richly deserved hanging. At least, according to Merrifield."

"Ah!" said Fullaway, with a start. "According to Merrifield, eh? Now
what may that mean? To find Merrifield in this at all was, of course, a
regular shock to me!"

"Merrifield--just the type of man who would!--has made a clean breast of
the whole thing," answered the chief. "He made it to me--an hour ago. He
thought it best. He wants--naturally enough--to save his neck."

"Will he?" growled Allerdyke. "A lot of necks ought to crack, after
all this!"

"Can't say--we mustn't prejudge the case," said the chief. "But that's
his desire of course. He would tell me everything--at once. I had it all
taken down. But I remember every scrap of it. You want to hear? Well
there's a good deal of it, but I can epitomize it. You'll find that you