“You were seen two nights ago by him and Morgan,” said Gridley, sternly eying her. “They had followed a girl to the home of a clergyman named Maybrick. They saw her look through his library window and then enter his house. They would have listened at his window to her interview with him--but you got there first, and they could not do so without taking risks then thought to be needless. We must know what the girl told him. It’s up to you to tell us. You heard what she said, or you would not have remained to listen.” “That is true,” Kate coldly admitted. “I heard all that she said to Mr. Maybrick.” “Tell me,” said Gridley sternly. “She told him that her father had recently died; that he was a criminal and had forced her to be one, but that she now was determined to reform. She told him that her father was one of a gang that had recently robbed a bank, and that he had had charge of the stolen funds and had buried them, confiding to her their hiding place while on his deathbed.” “That’s the point,” said Gridley. “That’s the very thing we want to know--where the plunder is hidden.” “I cannot tell you,” said Kate. “Not tell me! Why not?” “Because I do not know. The girl did not inform Mr. Maybrick.” “What did she say about it?” “She said she would take him to the spot, and that he could then remove the funds and restore them to the bank. She would not then reveal the hiding place.” “Did she give him no hint?” “No, none,” said Kate. “She appointed a place for him to meet her last evening, which he promised to do. That is all I can tell you.” “Is that true?” “God hearing me, it is true!” Kate solemnly declared. “I cannot possibly give you the information you expected from me. I do not know----” “Stop! I believe you,” Gridley cried curtly; then, turning to Blink Morgan, he harshly commanded: “Bring the jade up here, Blink, and the gospel sharp with her. I’ll find a way to force her to speak.” Morgan seized a lamp and hastened from the room. Patsy heard him descending the cellar stairs a moment later. “By thunder, this is the gang that cracked that Westchester savings bank,” he said to himself. “Gee whiz! there’s half a million at stake. If the chief was right, Jim Nordeck must be the man who buried the plunder, and the girl in question must be Nancy Nordeck.” Patsy did not realize just then, however, how perfectly right Nick Carter had sized up the entire case. This appeared a moment later, when Nancy Nordeck and the missing rector were led into the room, both with their arms securely bound behind them. The Reverend Austin Maybrick was quite pale, but he carried himself with dignity, and his fine face wore a look of scorn that told how little he feared the threatening situation. He appeared surprised when he saw Kate Crandall and Patsy, but he did not speak. Gridley hardly noticed him. He turned at once to the girl who had entered, and then leaned wearily against the nearest wall.