Norvell Page

“ Unless you pay us a million dollars you and your children will be killed by the Black Death. If you agree, hang something red out of the upstairs window on the front. Remember, pay, or you all die by the Black Death.
Wentworth frowned at the thing. It was like any crank note, more than a little disappointing in its queer simplicity. But the Black Death—
A maid showed momentarily in the doorway, and two children came in. They were youngsters; the girl shy, with golden curly hair and eyes almost as blue as Nita's; the boy younger, with black hair and a chubby face that broke easily into smiles. ”

“ There must be hundreds of them. No man who could conceive using the terror of the Black Death would stop at one extortion. Wentworth felt the cold crawling touch of apprehension down his back.
Lord in heaven! If one of the victims refused and the Black Death were loosed, what would turn its fearful stride from the city? What would prevent the murder of thousands! Wentworth spoke swiftly to the woman. ”

“ Wentworth then told her briefly what had happened that night, and that his enemy must have placed his seal on the policemen's foreheads.
“Do you know what that means, my darling? If any criminal has the courage to imitate the Spider, to try to pin his crimes on him, then that man must have an amazing and fiendish plot before him, for the underworld dreads the Spider and fears him.” ”