Motions from the revolvers caused Gaudrin and Marr to back to the wall beyond the desk. Captain Emory and Professor Babcock joined them, also with elevated hands. Strolling in by the treasure chests, Brilliard calmly reached in his pocket and produced a second revolver. Simultaneously, Lence lowered his weapon.
“Not a move!” snarled Brilliard, with no trace of his French accent. “I’m ready to shoot. Hold that pose you’ve taken, if you figure your lives are worthwhile. All right, Lence. Pass the word. This swag is going out.”
Lence turned toward the door that led to the hall. Brilliard kept a steady glare toward the men who stood along the wall. No one was observing the door to the enclosed porch. A key was grating slightly in the lock. Brilliard noted the sound. He called suddenly to Lence, who turned. Brilliard swung, too late.
The door shot open. Two men surged through. Their aiming revolvers caught both Lence and Brilliard.
Lence dropped his gun. Brilliard, turning to fire, heard it clank upon the floor. Quickly the Frenchman released his own weapons and thrust his hands above his head.
The rescuers had trapped the crooks without a shot. Stalwart and steady, they had saved the treasure. Joe Cardona and Lieutenant Wayson had arrived from the path laid for them by The Shadow!
CHAPTER XXI
THE NEXT TURN
“WHICH one of you is Cyro?”
There was no response to Cardona’s growled challenge. Brilliard and Lence stood sullen. Joe studied the bearded Frenchman; then eyed Lence.
“Maybe neither of you is,” was the detective’s comment. “But you’re the fellow” — he centered on Lence — “who bumped off Roke Rowden in New York. How about it?”
No answer. Lence seemed disinterested in Cardona’s quiz. Danforth Gaudrin, stepping from the wall, spoke in question:
“Who do you mean by Cyro?”
“He’s the bigshot,” affirmed Cardona. “No wonder I didn’t spot his game. We were looking for a swindler, not for a grab like this. I’m Detective Cardona, from New York. This is Lieutenant Wayson, of the New Orleans force.”
“I am Danforth Gaudrin,” stated the owner of the mansion. “This is Dunwood Marr, from Miami; Captain Emory, skipper of my yacht; and Professor Babcock, from London.”
“The professor chartered your yacht, didn’t he, Mr. Gaudrin?” questioned Wayson. “I read about it at the time. A coral cruise. Is this what the yacht brought back?”
Gaudrin nodded. Tersely, he explained about the recovery of the Spanish gold. He made mention of Marr’s purchase of the Nautilus. Cardona came through with a prompt remark, as soon as Gaudrin had finished.
“Then no one else knows about the treasure?” he demanded. “No one outside of you four?”
“No one,” returned Gaudrin. Then, suddenly: “I see your point, Cardona. Some one must have learned about the treasure. This man Cyro, for instance.”
“That’s it, Mr. Gaudrin. These fellows” — Joe turned toward Brilliard and Lence — “are keeping mum about something. They’re stalling, to cover up. Well, we’ll have it out right here. Unless you know of someone who might have wised.”
“My son Luke,” observed Gaudrin, suddenly. “He has not been in my confidence regarding this matter. I believe we should question him, Cardona. He might have talked about this cruise — not knowing the full facts — and someone might have heard him.”
“We should speak with Exeter also,” put in Captain Emory. “He was a friend of Professor Babcock’s. Didn’t I hear you say, Mr. Gaudrin, that Exeter has been staying here while we were gone?”
“Yes,” responded Gaudrin. Then, slowly: “I think you will find Exeter on the veranda.”
“You have a gun, captain?” asked Joe.
Emory nodded.
“You and I can cover them,” decided Joe. “Wayson, will you help Mr. Gaudrin bring in this fellow Exeter?”
The lieutenant agreed. He and Gaudrin went out. They crossed the dining room. In the living room, they unexpectedly encountered Exeter and Alicia coming in from the porch. Abruptly, Gaudrin demanded that both come into the study.
Wayson followed. As the trio entered the study, the police lieutenant hesitated. He went out toward the front of the house.
Remembering mention of Luke, Wayson wanted to see if Gaudrin’s son happened to be about. Glancing into the parlor, he saw a door closing on the opposite side. Wayson stole forward; he yanked the door open and covered the passage. As he barked an order, two men turned. Their hands went up.
WAYSON had trapped Luke Gaudrin and Royal Medbrook on their way to the study door.
Noise came from the study. Hearing Wayson’s voice, Danforth Gaudrin unlocked the door. Wayson marched his prisoners through into the light. Joe Cardona stared.
“Royal Medbrook!” he exclaimed. “So you’re the crook in back of this! Grab him, Wayson!”
The police lieutenant jabbed his gun into Medbrook’s ribs. He frisked the gambler and found a pocket revolver. Danforth Gaudrin stared with accusing eyes.
“So you are Cyro,” he accused.
A moment’s silence. Danforth Gaudrin, striding forward, looked ready to grip the gambler’s throat. Luke sprang between his father and Medbrook.
“Give him a chance, governor!” pleaded the young man. “Royal is on the level. Hear him out—”
“He knew about this treasure?” demanded Gaudrin.
“I did,” acknowledged Medbrook.
Dunwood Marr had joined Danforth Gaudrin. Together, they were ready to challenge any statement that Medbrook might make. Luke, still pleading, forced them to listen.
“I told Royal all about the treasure,” he declared. “I listened in when father talked with the professor and Captain Emory. I had to tell Royal. I owed him money.”
“Say no more, Luke,” ordered old Gaudrin. “We have found the rogue. Arrest this man, Lieutenant Wayson.”
Wayson stepped forward. Medbrook smiled. He spoke in a firm tone.
“You’ll have to hear me talk later,” he argued. “Better hear me now. You’re on the wrong trail, I tell you.”
“Hear him,” suggested Marr, turning to Danforth Gaudrin.
Gaudrin nodded. Medbrook, stepping back, pointed to Tracy Lence.
“I knew this fellow might be a crook,” declared Medbrook. “I’ll tell you why. When you came out to the Club Caprice, Cardona” — he swung to the detective — “Lence ducked out. He knew you. If I had thought he was Cyro, I would have tipped you then.”
“But he isn’t Cyro,” retorted Joe.
“I know,” declared Medbrook. “I figured that. I decided that he was a guy who knew you; but not the one you wanted. I’d have tipped you to that, too, if things had been different. But I had money at stake. More than fifteen grand that young Luke here owes me.”
“Is that correct, Luke?” demanded Danforth Gaudrin.
The son nodded.
“Luke swore that he had told no one of the treasure,” resumed Medbrook. “No one but myself. I didn’t want any attention turned toward the Gaudrin family until I could get the money that was rightfully due me.
“That’s why I kept mum. I covered Lence. I figured he was just an ordinary con man who would drop Luke like a hot potato when he found out there was no chance to swindle people who were on the verge of poverty.
“But when Luke told me that Lence was coming here tonight, I thought I’d better be around. I wanted to watch Lence. Just in case he wised to something. I dropped in; but I told Luke I wanted to be sure the money was in the bag. I didn’t mention Lence.
“That’s why we were in the passage. Luke wanted me to listen; to be sure that the treasure was here. He said I’d hear the clink of Spanish doubloons. I wanted to listen for any signs of Lence. I was afraid he might be butting in. You trapped us, Wayson, when we were coming through.”