"
"Can they hear us?" I asked, in an awestruck whisper.
"Not unless I want them to hear," he replied, indicating a switch.
"You remember, of course, the various mechanical and electrical
ears, such as the detectaphone, which we have used for
eavesdropping in other cases?"
I nodded.
"Well, this is a new application which has been made of the
detectaphone. When I was using that disc from the compartment
there, I had really a detectaphone. But this is even better. You
see how neat it all is? This is the detective service, and more.
We can 'listen in' and we don't have to use ear-pieces, either,
for this is a regular loud-speaking telephone--it talks right out
in meeting. Those square holes with the converging sides act as a
sort of megaphone to the receivers, those little circles back
there inside magnifying the sound and throwing it out here in the
room, so that we can hear just as well as if we were up there in
the room where they are talking. Listen--I think they are talking
again."
"I suppose you know that Whitney and I have placed detectives on
the trail of Norton," we could hear Lockwood say.
"You have?" came back the answer in a voice which for the first
time sounded cold.
Pages:
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204