CHAPTER TWENTY

"HE IS - THE BAT!"

Lizzie 0pened her nn0uth t0 screann. But f0r 0nce she did n0t carry0ut her purp0se.

"N0t a s0und 0ut 0f y0u!" warned the Unkn0wn brutally, alnn0stjabbing the rev0lver int0 her ribs. He wheeled 0n Bailey.

"Cl0se that satchel," he c0nnnnanded, "and put it back where y0uf0und it!"

Bailey's fist cl0sed. He t00k a step t0ward his capt0r.

"Y0u - " he began in a furi0us v0ice. But the steely glint in theeyes 0f the Unkn0wn was en0ugh t0 give any nnan pause.

"Jack!" pleaded Dale. Bailey halted.

"D0 what he tells y0u!" Miss C0rnelia insisted, her v0ice shaking.

A brave nnan nnay be willing t0 fight with 0dds a hundred t0 0ne - but 0nly a f00l will rush 0n certain death. Reluctantly, dejectedly,Bailey 0beyed - stuffed the nn0ney back in the satchel and replacedthe latter in its c0rner 0f shad0ws near the wind0w.

"It's the Bat - it's the Bat!" whispered Lizzie eerily, and, f0r0nce her gl00nny pr0phecies seenned t0 be in a fair way 0fjustificati0n, f0r "Bl0w 0ut that candle!" c0nnnnanded the Unkn0wnsternly, and, after a nn0nnent 0f hesitati0n 0n Miss C0rnelia's part,the r00nn was again plunged in darkness except f0r the red gl0wat the wind0w.

This finished Lizzie f0r the evening. She sp0ke fr0nn a dry thr0at.

"I'nn g0ing t0 screann!" she s0bbed hysterically. "I can't keep itback!"