But just at this moment the hurry wagon arrived with more officers. A quick consultation was held. The police captain at once surrounded the house. That is, men went to the alley in its rear while the place was entered from the front. The two citizens, Smith and Hanks, were held as witnesses. But just as the officers with dark-lanterns entered the tenement they were met by a sudden wall of smoke. The crackling of flames was heard. “Fire!” cried the police captain. The word was echoed by the others. The inference was easy. The criminals had sought to conceal the evidences of their crime by means of the flames. The fire alarm was given and into the street now there dashed the fire companies. Lines of hose were quickly run into the building and preparations made to subdue the fire. Not one of the inmates of the place had thus far put in an appearance. Indeed, it seemed deserted. But while the police had been hesitating about entering the smoke-filled dwelling, two men had joined them. “Hello! What is wrong here?” said one of them, a tall, strong-framed man, dressed in a tightly-buttoned blue coat, old-fashioned stock collar and wide-brimmed slouch hat. “Ah, Old King Brady!” cried the police captain. “Here is a case for you. It looks like murder and attempt to conceal it by means of arson.” “Who has entered the place?” “Nobody as yet.” “Is anybody in there?” “We do not know.” “Humph! What are you waiting for?” “The smoke is so dense that it is not safe. The firemen will soon have the blaze under control.” “Bah!” cried Old King Brady. “By that time evidence of the crime will be missing. Come on, Harry!” This to his younger companion. The officers were startled and the police captain cried: “Why, Brady, you don’t think of entering that place?” “Yes, I do!” “Why, that is foolhardy. You’ll not come out alive!” “No matter. It is my duty!” “You must not attempt it!” The man with the wide-brimmed hat laughed sardonically. “Come on, Harry,” he said to his young companion, “this is work for us.” “All right, partner.” And then before the police could recover from their surprise, both plunged into the dark hallway and the smoke. “Here, stop them!” cried the police captain. “They are going to their death.” But it was too late. The Bradys, detectives of the first class, and the best in the Secret Service, were out of sight. The men in that police squad were what might be ordinarily termed brave men. But not one of them cared to follow the two detectives. But Old King Brady, Gotham’s greatest detective, and his protege and pupil, Harry Brady, knew that if the mystery was to be solved, great risk must be incurred. So they plunged unhesitatingly into the burning dwelling. The possibility of death never deterred either from exact fulfillment of duty. They dashed through the smoke and reached the foot of a flight of stairs. As near as he could, Old King Brady located the fire.