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A STRANGE CHARGE
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"There are the two lads now!"

Everyone turned to look at Joe and Blake, and a man, dressed in some sort of uniform, approached them.

"Are you the lads that have rooms sixty-six and sixty-seven?" he asked, sharply.

"Yes," replied Blake.

"Why, has anything happened there?" asked Joe.

"Well, yes, there has, and we thought perhaps you could explain."

"Have we been robbed?" burst out Blake.

"Robbed? No," answered the clerk. "But——"

"Perhaps I had better explain," put in the uniformed man. "I think I shall have to ask you boys to come with me," he went on.

"Come where?" Joe wanted to know.

"To police headquarters."

"What for?" burst out Blake. "We haven't done anything! We only came here to——"

"Be careful," warned the man in uniform. "Whatever you say may be used against you."

"Why—why?" stammered Joe. "What's it all about?"

"An infernal machine!" exclaimed the hotel clerk. "How dare you poke one out of the window, right toward one of our largest banks, and