Not a soul save the detective, even yet, suspected the true identity of
Locke, even as he answered over the telephone with a respectful, "Yes,
sir."
The fact of the matter was that the message had come most opportunely.
It was from the chief of the Department of Justice himself, ordering
Locke to stay at the house until he had secured the evidence that would
allow the department to proceed against the company under the anti-trust
law. That, then, was the explanation of the secret dictagraph which
Locke had installed, the explanation of his apparent faithlessness to
his employer.
But weightier matters were now on Locke's mind. Here he was faced by the
case of his life, involving the happiness of the very girl whom he had
so soon come to love. His incentive was double--love and success:
triple--above all, justice.
By this time the household themselves were sufficiently calm to help
Brent to his bedroom and Flint to a guest-chamber.
Balcom was about to follow, when Locke, returning from the telephone,
touched him on the shoulder and shoved the threat message which Brent
had given him the night before under the face of the junior partner.
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