The affair went smoothly, without a hitch. Norton and his men gained the house through the tunnel without attracting the least attention. The Black Hundred, watching the front and rear of the house, never dreamed that there existed another mode of entrance or that there was a secret cabinet room. Half an hour later the head of the secret service, accompanied by his men, together with "Spider" Beggs, who was in high feather over his success, arrived, demanded admittance, and went at the front of the business at once. "Your name is Jones?" began the chief. The butler nodded, though his face evinced no little bewilderment at the appearance of these men. "What is it you wish, sir?" "I am from the secret service and I have it from a pretty good source that there is counterfeit money hidden in this house. More than that, I can put my hand on the very place it is hidden." "That is impossible, sir," declared Jones indignantly. "I am an old hand, Mr. Jones. It will not do you a bit of good to put on that bold front." Beggs smiled. How was he to know that this was a comedy set especially for his benefit? "I should like to see that money," said Jones, not quite so bravely. "Come with me," said the secret service man. "Where's the library?" "Beyond that door, sir." The chief beckoning to his men, entered the library, went directly to a certain shelf, extracted three volumes, and there lay the money in three neat packages. "Good heavens!" gasped Jones. "I shall have to request you and the family to accompany me to the station." "But it is all utterly impossible, sir! I know nothing of that money nor how it got there. It's a plot. I declare on my oath, sir, that I am innocent, that Miss Florence and her companion know nothing about it." "You will have to tell that to the federal judge, sir. My duty is to take you all to the station. It would be just as well not to say anything more, sir." "Very well; but some one shall smart for this outrage." "That remains to be seen," was the terse comment of the secret service man. He led his prisoners away directly. Norton and his men had to wait far into the night. The Black Hundred did not intend to make any mistake this time by a hasty move. At quarter after ten they descended. Braine was not with them. This was due to the urgent request of Olga, who still had her doubts. The men rioted about the house, searching nooks and corners, examining floors and walls, opening books, pulling out drawers, but they found nothing. They talked freely, and the dictagraph registered every word. The printing plant, which had so long defied discovery, was in the cellar of the house occupied by the Black Hundred. Norton and his men determined to follow and raid the building. And the reporter promised himself a good front-page story without in any way conflicting with his promises to Jones. [Illustration: THE MEN RIOTED ABOUT THE HOUSE SEARCHING NOOKS AND CORNERS]