Reginald Thomas Maitland Scott

“ But at the entrance to the gold-draped gambling salon it could be seen that something of a change had come over the room. Some of the guests had departed, leaving fewer at the table. And the table, itself, had changed. ”

“ Only a stab of light was necessary for Wentworth to find the bolt which held the door of the imitation safe. For the moment he had lost his sense of direction in the complete darkness. No man can kiss a lady in the dark and remain oriented. If he can, he doesn't know how to kiss.
Gently Wentworth pulled back the bolt and opened the door a very little. Light was burning in the study which appeared to be empty, but through the crack he could not see the entire room. He listened and, hearing nothing, took a chance by throwing the door wide and swiftly stepping into the room. ”

“ Perhaps no burglar ever had so compact a kit of tools, instruments which were constructed upon the smallest possible scale but with such ingenuity that they were of great power in the hands of so skillful a man as Wentworth. ”

“ Upon one occasion of this suspicion Kirkpatrick had very nearly caught his friend. By a remarkably clever deduction he had concluded that the mysterious killer must carry his tiny seal in his cigarette lighter. Immediately after a Spider killing he had forced his friend to hand over his lighter for examination, and it was only an adroit subterfuge on the part of Nita that hid Wentworth from exposure. Kirkpatrick, his suspicions put at rest, had apologized. ”

“ She had then returned to the gambling salon and left it at once to enter the passage in her search for Wentworth, only to be captured at the study door by the unknown man who was now a dead passenger in an automatic elevator.
"Come on!" he exclaimed, closing the book when she had told him all she knew. "Let's hunt up Mortimer Mack and see what happens. He should be surprised to see us both alive and together." ”

“ Commissioner Kirkpatrick held the elevator door open and barred the entrance with his arm. His face was cold and stern. A man, unnoticed before and evidently a plainclothesman, came quickly to his side.
"Case of homicide," rapped out the Commissioner. "Another Spider killing. Telephone Headquarters and have the usual detail sent up." As the detective hurried away to obey the order, the Commissioner spoke again, still authoritatively. "Everybody will leave this room with the exception of Miss Van Sloan, Mr. Mack and Mr. Wentworth."
"Nita?" asked Wentworth. "You want her?" ”