The Secret Adversary

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"What the devil----?" began Tommy.

But the slow, speechless grin of the silent Conrad froze the words on
his lips.

Number 14 proceeded deftly with his task. In another minute Tommy was a
mere helpless bundle. Then at last Conrad spoke:

"Thought you'd bluffed us, did you? With what you knew, and what you
didn't know. Bargained with us! And all the time it was bluff! Bluff!
You know less than a kitten. But your number's up now all right, you
b----swine."

Tommy lay silent. There was nothing to say. He had failed. Somehow
or other the omnipotent Mr. Brown had seen through his pretensions.
Suddenly a thought occurred to him.