Locke was non-committal. "This trap will tell us," was all that he would
say.
Zita, hurrying out from the conservatory, and wishing to waste not an
instant in notifying Balcom, sought a near-by telephone pay-station, and
there in frantic haste she demanded Balcom's number.
It was some moments before Central could make the connection, and then
it was only to Zita's disappointment and growing fear. The Madagascan
servant of Balcom answered in the absence of his master.
"Is Mr. Balcom there?" asked Zita, adding, "Or Mr. Paul?"
The black shook his head. "Neither Mr. Balcom nor Mr. Paul is at home,"
he replied.
Zita was now thoroughly alarmed. Had she some connection with the
Automaton? Or was it her fear that either Balcom or Paul might know more
than they would care to have the authorities know? Or was the Automaton
really an iron monster, after all?
That and many other questions were surging through the minds of all who
had encountered this unique mystery.
CHAPTER XI
It was midnight when, far down in the rock-hewn cavern in which the
Automaton had his secret den, the steel monster and one of his men
stalked out through the arched passage that led to the very cellar of
the house above them.
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