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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9613b7f --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #63977 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/63977) diff --git a/old/63977-0.txt b/old/63977-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 272c48f..0000000 --- a/old/63977-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7945 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Snarled Identities, by Nicholas Carter - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this ebook. - -Title: Snarled Identities - A Desperate Tangle - -Author: Nicholas Carter - -Release Date: December 06, 2020 [EBook #63977] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: David Edwards, Nahum Maso i Carcases, and the Online - Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.ne - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SNARLED IDENTITIES *** - - - - - Transcriber’s Notes: - -The original spelling, hyphenation, and punctuation have been retained, -with the exception of apparent typographical errors which have been -corrected. - -Text in Italics is indicated between _underscores_. - -Text in Small Capitals has been replaced by regular uppercase text. - - * * * * * - - - - - NICK CARTER STORIES - - New Magnet Library - - PRICE, FIFTEEN CENTS - - _Not a Dull Book in This List_ - - -Nick Carter stands for an interesting detective story. The fact that -the books in this line are so uniformly good is entirely due to the -work of a specialist. The man who wrote these stories produced no -other type of fiction. His mind was concentrated upon the creation of -new plots and situations in which his hero emerged triumphantly from -all sorts of trouble, and landed the criminal just where he should -be—behind the bars. - -The author of these stories knew more about writing detective stories -than any other single person. - -Following is a list of the best Nick Carter stories. They have been -selected with extreme care, and we unhesitatingly recommend each of -them as being fully as interesting as any detective story between cloth -covers which sells at ten times the price. - -If you do not know Nick Carter, buy a copy of any of the New Magnet -Library books, and get acquainted. He will surprise and delight you. - - _ALL TITLES ALWAYS IN PRINT_ - - - 850—Wanted: A Clew By Nicholas Carter - 851—A Tangled Skein By Nicholas Carter - 852—The Bullion Mystery By Nicholas Carter - 853—The Man of Riddles By Nicholas Carter - 854—A Miscarriage of Justice By Nicholas Carter - 855—The Gloved Hand By Nicholas Carter - 856—Spoilers and the Spoils By Nicholas Carter - 857—The Deeper Game By Nicholas Carter - 858—Bolts from Blue Skies By Nicholas Carter - 859—Unseen Foes By Nicholas Carter - 860—Knaves in High Places By Nicholas Carter - 861—The Microbe of Crime By Nicholas Carter - 862—In the Toils of Fear By Nicholas Carter - 863—A Heritage of Trouble By Nicholas Carter - 864—Called to Account By Nicholas Carter - 865—The Just and the Unjust By Nicholas Carter - 866—Instinct at Fault By Nicholas Carter - 867—A Rogue Worth Trapping By Nicholas Carter - 868—A Rope of Slender Threads By Nicholas Carter - 869—The Last Call By Nicholas Carter - 870—The Spoils of Chance By Nicholas Carter - 871—A Struggle With Destiny By Nicholas Carter - 872—The Slave of Crime By Nicholas Carter - 873—The Crook’s Blind By Nicholas Carter - 874—A Rascal of Quality By Nicholas Carter - 875—With Shackles of Fire By Nicholas Carter - 876—The Man Who Changed Faces By Nicholas Carter - 877—The Fixed Alibi By Nicholas Carter - 878—Out With the Tide By Nicholas Carter - 879—The Soul Destroyers By Nicholas Carter - 880—The Wages of Rascality By Nicholas Carter - 881—Birds of Prey By Nicholas Carter - 882—When Destruction Threatens By Nicholas Carter - 883—The Keeper of Black Hounds By Nicholas Carter - 884—The Door of Doubt By Nicholas Carter - 885—The Wolf Within By Nicholas Carter - 886—A Perilous Parole By Nicholas Carter - 887—The Trail of the Fingerprints By Nicholas Carter - 888—Dodging the Law By Nicholas Carter - 889—A Crime in Paradise By Nicholas Carter - 890—On the Ragged Edge By Nicholas Carter - 891—The Red God of Tragedy By Nicholas Carter - 892—The Man Who Paid By Nicholas Carter - 893—The Blind Man’s Daughter By Nicholas Carter - 894—One Object in Life By Nicholas Carter - 895—As a Crook Sows By Nicholas Carter - 896—In Record Time By Nicholas Carter - 897—Held in Suspense By Nicholas Carter - 898—The $100,000 Kiss By Nicholas Carter - 899—Just One Slip By Nicholas Carter - 900—On a Million-dollar Trail By Nicholas Carter - 901—A Weird Treasure By Nicholas Carter - 902—The Middle Link By Nicholas Carter - 903—To the Ends of the Earth By Nicholas Carter - 904—When Honors Pall By Nicholas Carter - 905—The Yellow Brand By Nicholas Carter - 906—A New Serpent in Eden By Nicholas Carter - 907—When Brave Men Tremble By Nicholas Carter - 908—A Test of Courage By Nicholas Carter - 909—Where Peril Beckons By Nicholas Carter - 910—The Gargoni Girdle By Nicholas Carter - 911—Rascals & Co. By Nicholas Carter - 912—Too Late to Talk By Nicholas Carter - 913—Satan’s Apt Pupil By Nicholas Carter - 914—The Girl Prisoner By Nicholas Carter - 915—The Danger of Folly By Nicholas Carter - 916—One Shipwreck Too Many By Nicholas Carter - 917—Scourged by Fear By Nicholas Carter - 918—The Red Plague By Nicholas Carter - 919—Scoundrels Rampant By Nicholas Carter - 920—From Clew to Clew By Nicholas Carter - 921—When Rogues Conspire By Nicholas Carter - 922—Twelve in a Grave By Nicholas Carter - 923—The Great Opium Case By Nicholas Carter - 924—A Conspiracy of Rumors By Nicholas Carter - 925—A Klondike Claim By Nicholas Carter - 926—The Evil Formula By Nicholas Carter - 927—The Man of Many Faces By Nicholas Carter - 928—The Great Enigma By Nicholas Carter - 929—The Burden of Proof By Nicholas Carter - 930—The Stolen Brain By Nicholas Carter - 931—A Titled Counterfeiter By Nicholas Carter - 932—The Magic Necklace By Nicholas Carter - 933—’Round the World for a Quarter By Nicholas Carter - 934—Over the Edge of the World By Nicholas Carter - 935—In the Grip of Fate By Nicholas Carter - 936—The Case of Many Clews By Nicholas Carter - 937—The Sealed Door By Nicholas Carter - 938—Nick Carter and the Green Goods Men By Nicholas Carter - 939—The Man Without a Will By Nicholas Carter - 940—Tracked Across the Atlantic By Nicholas Carter - 941—A Clew From the Unknown By Nicholas Carter - 942—The Crime of a Countess By Nicholas Carter - 943—A Mixed Up Mess By Nicholas Carter - 944—The Great Money Order Swindle By Nicholas Carter - 945—The Adder’s Brood By Nicholas Carter - 946—A Wall Street Haul By Nicholas Carter - 947—For a Pawned Crown By Nicholas Carter - 948—Sealed Orders By Nicholas Carter - 949—The Hate That Kills By Nicholas Carter - 950—The American Marquis By Nicholas Carter - 951—The Needy Nine By Nicholas Carter - 952—Fighting Against Millions By Nicholas Carter - 953—Outlaws of the Blue By Nicholas Carter - 954—The Old Detective’s Pupil By Nicholas Carter - 955—Found in the Jungle By Nicholas Carter - 956—The Mysterious Mail Robbery By Nicholas Carter - 957—Broken Bars By Nicholas Carter - 958—A Fair Criminal By Nicholas Carter - 959—Won by Magic By Nicholas Carter - 960—The Piano Box Mystery By Nicholas Carter - 961—The Man They Held Back By Nicholas Carter - 962—A Millionaire Partner By Nicholas Carter - 963—A Pressing Peril By Nicholas Carter - 964—An Australian Klondyke By Nicholas Carter - 965—The Sultan’s Pearls By Nicholas Carter - 966—The Double Shuffle Club By Nicholas Carter - 967—Paying the Price By Nicholas Carter - 968—A Woman’s Hand By Nicholas Carter - 969—A Network of Crime By Nicholas Carter - 970—At Thompson’s Ranch By Nicholas Carter - 971—The Crossed Needles By Nicholas Carter - 972—The Diamond Mine Case By Nicholas Carter - 973—Blood Will Tell By Nicholas Carter - 974—An Accidental Password By Nicholas Carter - 975—The Crook’s Bauble By Nicholas Carter - 976—Two Plus Two By Nicholas Carter - 977—The Yellow Label By Nicholas Carter - 978—The Clever Celestial By Nicholas Carter - 979—The Amphitheater Plot By Nicholas Carter - 980—Gideon Drexel’s Millions By Nicholas Carter - 981—Death in Life By Nicholas Carter - 982—A Stolen Identity By Nicholas Carter - 983—Evidence by Telephone By Nicholas Carter - 984—The Twelve Tin Boxes By Nicholas Carter - 985—Clew Against Clew By Nicholas Carter - 986—Lady Velvet By Nicholas Carter - 987—Playing a Bold Game By Nicholas Carter - 988—A Dead Man’s Grip By Nicholas Carter - 989—Snarled Identities By Nicholas Carter - 990—A Deposit Vault Puzzle By Nicholas Carter - 991—The Crescent Brotherhood By Nicholas Carter - 992—The Stolen Pay Train By Nicholas Carter - 993—The Sea Fox By Nicholas Carter - 994—Wanted by Two Clients By Nicholas Carter - 995—The Van Alstine Case By Nicholas Carter - 996—Check No. 777 By Nicholas Carter - 997—Partners in Peril By Nicholas Carter - 998—Nick Carter’s Clever Protégé By Nicholas Carter - 999—The Sign of the Crossed Knives By Nicholas Carter - 1000—The Man Who Vanished By Nicholas Carter - 1001—A Battle for the Right By Nicholas Carter - 1002—A Game of Craft By Nicholas Carter - 1003—Nick Carter’s Retainer By Nicholas Carter - 1004—Caught in the Toils By Nicholas Carter - 1005—A Broken Bond By Nicholas Carter - 1006—The Crime of the French Café By Nicholas Carter - 1007—The Man Who Stole Millions By Nicholas Carter - 1008—The Twelve Wise Men By Nicholas Carter - 1009—Hidden Foes By Nicholas Carter - 1010—A Gamblers’ Syndicate By Nicholas Carter - 1011—A Chance Discovery By Nicholas Carter - 1012—Among the Counterfeiters By Nicholas Carter - 1013—A Threefold Disappearance By Nicholas Carter - 1014—At Odds With Scotland Yard By Nicholas Carter - 1015—A Princess of Crime By Nicholas Carter - 1016—Found on the Beach By Nicholas Carter - 1017—A Spinner of Death By Nicholas Carter - 1018—The Detective’s Pretty Neighbor By Nicholas Carter - 1019—A Bogus Clew By Nicholas Carter - 1020—The Puzzle of Five Pistols By Nicholas Carter - 1021—The Secret of the Marble Mantel By Nicholas Carter - 1022—A Bite of an Apple By Nicholas Carter - 1023—A Triple Crime By Nicholas Carter - 1024—The Stolen Race Horse By Nicholas Carter - 1025—Wildfire By Nicholas Carter - 1026—A _Herald_ Personal By Nicholas Carter - 1027—The Finger of Suspicion By Nicholas Carter - 1028—The Crimson Clue By Nicholas Carter - 1029—Nick Carter Down East By Nicholas Carter - 1030—The Chain of Clues By Nicholas Carter - 1031—A Victim of Circumstances By Nicholas Carter - 1032—Brought to Bay By Nicholas Carter - 1033—The Dynamite Trap By Nicholas Carter - 1034—A Scrap of Black Lace By Nicholas Carter - 1035—The Woman of Evil By Nicholas Carter - 1036—A Legacy of Hate By Nicholas Carter - 1037—A Trusted Rogue By Nicholas Carter - 1038—Man Against Man By Nicholas Carter - 1039—The Demons of the Night By Nicholas Carter - 1040—The Brotherhood of Death By Nicholas Carter - 1041—At the Knife’s Point By Nicholas Carter - 1042—A Cry for Help By Nicholas Carter - 1043—A Stroke of Policy By Nicholas Carter - 1044—Hounded to Death By Nicholas Carter - 1045—A Bargain in Crime By Nicholas Carter - 1046—The Fatal Prescription By Nicholas Carter - 1047—The Man of Iron By Nicholas Carter - 1048—An Amazing Scoundrel By Nicholas Carter - 1049—The Chain of Evidence By Nicholas Carter - 1050—Paid with Death By Nicholas Carter - 1051—A Fight for a Throne By Nicholas Carter - 1052—The Woman of Steel By Nicholas Carter - 1053—The Seal of Death By Nicholas Carter - 1054—The Human Fiend By Nicholas Carter - 1055—A Desperate Chance By Nicholas Carter - 1056—A Chase in the Dark By Nicholas Carter - 1057—The Snare and the Game By Nicholas Carter - 1058—The Murray Hill Mystery By Nicholas Carter - 1059—Nick Carter’s Close Call By Nicholas Carter - 1060—The Missing Cotton King By Nicholas Carter - 1061—A Game of Plots By Nicholas Carter - 1062—The Prince of Liars By Nicholas Carter - 1063—The Man at the Window By Nicholas Carter - 1064—The Red League By Nicholas Carter - 1065—The Price of a Secret By Nicholas Carter - 1066—The Worst Case on Record By Nicholas Carter - 1067—From Peril to Peril By Nicholas Carter - 1068—The Seal of Silence By Nicholas Carter - 1069—Nick Carter’s Chinese Puzzle By Nicholas Carter - 1070—A Blackmailer’s Bluff By Nicholas Carter - 1071—Heard in the Dark By Nicholas Carter - 1072—A Checkmated Scoundrel By Nicholas Carter - 1073—The Cashier’s Secret By Nicholas Carter - 1074—Behind a Mask By Nicholas Carter - 1075—The Cloak of Guilt By Nicholas Carter - 1076—Two Villains in One By Nicholas Carter - 1077—The Hot Air Clue By Nicholas Carter - 1078—Run to Earth By Nicholas Carter - 1079—The Certified Check By Nicholas Carter - 1080—Weaving the Web By Nicholas Carter - 1081—Beyond Pursuit By Nicholas Carter - 1082—The Claws of the Tiger By Nicholas Carter - -In order that there may be no confusion, we desire to say that the -books listed below will be issued during the respective months in New -York City and vicinity. They may not reach the readers at a distance -promptly, on account of delays in transportation. - - - To Be Published in July, 1922. - - 1083—Driven From Cover By Nicholas Carter - 1084—A Deal in Diamonds By Nicholas Carter - - - To Be Published in August, 1922. - - 1085—The Wizard of the Cue By Nicholas Carter - 1086—A Race for Ten Thousand By Nicholas Carter - 1087—The Criminal Link By Nicholas Carter - - - To Be Published in September, 1922. - - 1088—The Red Signal By Nicholas Carter - 1089—The Secret Panel By Nicholas Carter - - - To Be Published in October, 1922. - - 1090—A Bonded Villain By Nicholas Carter - 1091—A Move in the Dark By Nicholas Carter - - - To Be Published in November, 1922. - - 1092—Against Desperate Odds By Nicholas Carter - 1093—The Telltale Photographs By Nicholas Carter - - - To Be Published in December, 1922. - - 1094—The Ruby Pin By Nicholas Carter - 1095—The Queen of Diamonds By Nicholas Carter - - - To Be Published in January, 1923. - - 1096—A Broken Trail By Nicholas Carter - 1097—An Ingenious Stratagem By Nicholas Carter - - - - - SNARLED IDENTITIES - - OR, - - A DESPERATE TANGLE - - BY - - NICHOLAS CARTER - - Author of the celebrated stories of Nick Carter’s adventures, which - are published exclusively in the NEW MAGNET LIBRARY, conceded - to be among the best detective tales ever written. - - - [Illustration] - - - STREET & SMITH CORPORATION - PUBLISHERS - 79-89 Seventh Avenue, New York - - - - - Copyright, 1916 - By STREET & SMITH - - Snarled Identities - - - (Printed in the United States of America) - - All rights reserved, including that of translation into foreign - languages, including the Scandinavian. - - - - - SNARLED IDENTITIES. - - - - - CHAPTER I. - - STARTLING NEWS. - - -Nicholas Carter, and his first assistant, Chickering Carter, had risen -early that morning, but not for the usual reason. It was a very unusual -occasion in the great detective’s household, for he and Chick were -actually going away for two weeks’ vacation in the Adirondacks. - -The train that was to carry the two to the Great North Woods was -scheduled to leave shortly after eight o’clock, and many preparations -had been deferred until that morning. Now, however, everything was -practically ready, their trunk was packed, locked, and strapped, -their suit cases were nearly filled, and they had time for a bite of -breakfast and a glance at the morning papers, which had thus far been -neglected. - -Nick seemed to be the only one who was interested in the news. In fact, -his assistant made a wry face when he saw his chief reaching for one of -the papers. - -“Can’t you forget that sort of thing?” he asked, in an injured tone. “I -was hoping you would until we got well started, at least.” - -“What’s the trouble?” Nick asked, in a bewildered tone. “Oh, I see what -you are driving at! You are afraid I’ll see something interesting in -the line of crimes and mysteries, and decide at the last minute to stay -at home? Is that the idea?” - -His assistant nodded gloomily. “Correct,” he answered. “I never -know which way you are going to jump, or at what moment. When I’m -trying to get you off for a holiday, especially, I feel the greatest -responsibility. You have such a way of changing your mind, and, if you -don’t, somebody usually bobs up with a case that you find irresistible. -You’ve been working your head off for months, and you are run down; -you know you are.” Chick grinned. “You are not exactly at the breaking -point yet,” he went on, “but you are just a little stale, and that -won’t do, you know. Any day something may break that will require your -keenest brain work, and your last ounce of strength and agility. Of -course, things will turn up; of course, you’ll have all sorts of calls -every day, and if you allow yourself to read the papers, you’ll run -across plenty of things that will prove fascinating to you. Can’t you -cut yourself loose, though—absolutely?” - -“I’ve done harder things than that, grandmother,” Nick answered, “but -I really don’t see the necessity for that sort of total abstinence. If -you think I’m going to cut out all newspapers for two weeks, you’re -very much mistaken. I’ve promised to go, though, and I’m going—unless, -of course, something turns up that is altogether too big to neglect.” - -He opened the paper, whereupon Chick gave an exaggerated sigh of -resignation. - -“What is to be is to be, I suppose,” the younger detective murmured; -“or, in more up-to-date form, she goes as she lays.” - -It may be inferred, therefore, that he was far from surprised, when his -chief gave a startled exclamation a few moments later. - -“Well,” Chick asked pessimistically, “what have you struck now? We are -not going away, I suppose?” - -“Of course we are, you idiot!” Nick answered excitedly. “You’ll agree -with me, though, I’m sure, that it would have been a calamity if we had -missed this. It looks as if we had had our last tussle with ‘Green-eye’ -Gordon.” - -Chick’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?” he asked. “Has Gordon died in -prison?” - -Nick nodded soberly. “He was burned to death last night in a fire that -destroyed one wing of Clinton Prison,” he replied, his eye hastily -running over the rest of the article. - -Presently the paper was passed to Chick. This, in part, was what the -latter read. - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - “GREEN-EYE” GORDON. - - -“Shortly after ten o’clock last night fire was discovered in the -laundry at Clinton Prison. The blaze spread with surprising rapidity, -and as the laundry was in the basement of one of the main wings of -three tiers of cells above it, the lives of many of the convicts were -soon seen to be in danger. - -“Under the circumstances, it is surprising that more lives were not -lost, but the best information obtainable at the present time is -that three of the inmates were fatally burned—including the clever -and infamous Green-eye Gordon—that many were injured or temporarily -overcome, and that one took advantage of the excitement to escape. - -“As soon as it was seen that the fire was beyond control, so far as the -prison’s fire-fighting facilities were concerned, and that there was -danger of asphyxiation from the dense smoke, the cells of each tier -in the threatened wing were unlocked simultaneously, and there was a -general exodus of frightened prisoners. The scene defies description, -for the delay in opening the cells had given the trapped men an -opportunity to work themselves up into a frenzy, and, as a result, the -guards were powerless to handle them. - -“A general jail delivery might have followed if the convicts had -realized their power, but fear had driven everything else out of their -minds for the time being, and in consequence, only one man, Convict No. -9,371, made his escape. He is known to the world beyond the gray walls -as “Shang” Libby, a yegg, who had made his headquarters at Buffalo. -Libby must have followed one of the guards when the latter left the -inclosure for help, and having waited until the door of freedom had -been opened, he quietly struck the guard down and passed through. He -was one of those who had hastily dressed himself in the prison uniform -and unless he can manage to get other clothing there is no doubt that -he will soon be rounded up.” - -Then followed a long account of the fire, and references to those -who had been killed or seriously injured. The article ended with the -following: - -“The death of Ernest Gordon, widely known as Green-eye Gordon, was -the most ignominious one, and hardly in keeping with this notorious -criminal’s career. There was nothing spectacular about it. Gordon might -have been expected to play a conspicuous part at such a time—to rally -the prisoners for a concerted attempt at escape, for instance—but he -does not seem to have distinguished himself in any such way. Indeed, it -would appear that his daring and initiative left him at the last, for -there seems no very good reason for his death, when most of his fellow -prisoners escaped. - -“Of course, some accident must have happened to him, for he was -found trodden to death by the others in their bestial rush. His face -disfigured beyond recognition. - -“Gordon hailed from New York, and those who know have long classed him -as one of the cleverest and most dangerous criminals this country has -ever produced. He came of a good family, and was well educated, but -early showed a tendency to criminal pursuits. Apparently he reformed, -however, and for several years was employed by one of the great -detective agencies. - -“In this capacity he showed himself to be very able and daring, so much -so that he advanced rapidly, and long enjoyed the utmost confidence of -his employers. In the end, however, it was learned that he had been -using his position for his own ends, and had really never given up his -career of crime. He must have known that a storm was brewing, for, as -usual, he managed to get away a few jumps ahead. - -“After that, thanks to the invaluable experience he had gained as a -detective, he turned his attention to much more ambitious and lucrative -pursuits, soon becoming one of the most troublesome thorns in the side -of the police of this city and elsewhere. Gordon always was versatile, -and handled many kinds of crime with remarkable success. Toward the -last, however, he developed something approaching a specialty in the -shape of blackmail on a large scale. He seemed to have an uncanny -facility for learning the secrets of the wealthy and prominent, and -using them for purposes of blackmail. - -“Crimes of this sort are not easy to establish in a legal way, or to -punish, for the victims seldom raise an outcry. Nevertheless, that -lifelong foe of crime and criminals, Nicholas Carter, took up the -trail, and finally brought Gordon to bay. The capture and trial of two -years ago are doubtless fresh in the minds of many newspaper readers. - -“Gordon acquired his nickname of Green Eye from the fact that he had -a pair of peculiar, rather nondescript gray eyes, which were said to -emit a green light when the man was angry or excited. In addition, his -eyes showed an inclination to cross at such times, although perfectly -normal at all others. In fact, it is claimed that these distinguishing -characteristics more than once served to identify the clever rogue, -whose remarkable histrionic ability and skill at make-up would -otherwise have enabled him to defy detection.” - -Of course, neither of the detectives read all of this. They did not -need to, for they knew a great deal more about Ernest Gordon than any -one else could have told them. - -Chick followed his chief’s example in glancing through the article and -getting the main points that were new to him. Then he looked up with an -odd expression. - -“Well, it certainly sounds final enough,” he remarked. “I find it hard -to believe, though, that Green Eye is dead, and that he died in such a -way.” - -“It is somewhat difficult to credit it,” Nick agreed. “That’s the way -things frequently happen, though. Fate isn’t always dramatic in its -methods according to our theatrical standards. No, it seems safe enough -to believe that Ernest Gordon won’t give us any more trouble, and I -find a certain amount of relief in the thought. I’m willing to confess -now that there were times when I doubted my ability to bring him to -account. In other words, I felt myself nearer defeat at his hands than -I had ever done in any other case.” - -The detective pulled out his watch, glanced at it, and threw his -napkin aside. “We must hustle if we are going to catch that train,” he -announced. - -Five minutes later he and Chick were whirled away to the station. Their -well-earned vacation had begun, but they were far from carefree. - -The thought of Ernest Gordon persisted in haunting their minds, and -somehow it seemed to dull the edge of their anticipations. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - NOT SO DEAD, AFTER ALL. - - -Two days later a striking-looking, conspicuously well-groomed man -presented himself at Nick Carter’s door. - -He did not give his name, which is not to be wondered at under the -circumstances, for the caller was Green-eye Gordon—not his ghost, but -the man himself, substantial flesh and blood, escaped convict, and -first-class criminal. - -For once Chick’s intuitions had been keener than his chief’s. The -younger detective had been inclined to question the validity of -Gordon’s death in the absence of any more conclusive testimony than -that given in the first accounts of the fire. Nick, however, had been -in a mood to discourage such skepticism—perhaps because of that relief -to which he had confessed. - -The fact was that it was Green Eye who had escaped, and not the yegg -from Buffalo. Gordon had stumbled over the latter’s body during that -mad rush for safety. The yegg was by no means dead at the time, but had -been overcome by the smoke, and, without a moment’s hesitation, Gordon -had determined to profit by the encounter. - -He had no definite plan, but it was characteristic of him that whereas -the others were interested only in escaping the flames, he was looking -for the opportunity to escape from the prison itself, and was prepared -to profit by every promising circumstance. - -It occurred to him at once that an exchange of coats would be to his -advantage, and he proceeded at once to make the exchange, stripping off -the unconscious man’s coat, and putting his own halfway on in place of -it. - -The reason for this may be easily guessed. The gray coats—for stripes -are no longer in vogue in New York State—bore each man’s prison number, -and, therefore, by such a simple exchange, identities could be shifted -temporarily. - -Gordon’s number was 39,470, and, of course, it was known to all the -keepers and prisoners as standing for the identity of the formidable -Green Eye. The other man’s number, on the other hand, had no particular -significance, for the yegg was an ordinary criminal, of comparatively -little intelligence, who had not made himself conspicuous in any way, -either in or out of the prison. - -Consequently, if there should prove to be later on any reason to -believe that Libby was missing, his absence would not be likely to -cause any great commotion, for it would be taken for granted that his -capture was only a question of time. - -Gordon had reasoned shrewdly, as usual, and had thus, by his own -promptness and resourcefulness, put himself in the way of the luck that -subsequently favored him. - -He had feigned an injury, and had thrown himself down in the prison -courtyard, after taking care to stagger close to the main gates, and a -shadow of the projecting section of the wall. There he was ignored, for -the flames in the burning wing were mounting higher and higher, and all -the men were not yet out of it. - -It was some minutes before Green Eye’s chance had come, but it did -come, as he had felt sure it would. One of the guards rushed past him -and approached a small door at one side of the big, double gates. -Evidently the man had been sent on some important errand, which would -take him outside the prison walls. - -The keeper looked behind him with a wary eye to make sure that he -was not followed. He had fears of a general break for liberty, but -apparently no one was paying any attention to him. - -Therefore he excitedly inserted a key in the lock, and, after some -fumbling, opened the door. It was then that Gordon had pounced upon him. - -One blow had been enough. It caught the unfortunate guard behind the -ear and sent him hurtling through the opening. In a moment the convict -had followed. - -Gordon dashed across the road before the vanguard of the crowd from the -town had reached the spot, and, dodging through the extensive lumber -yard, made his way to the outskirts of Dannemora, his goal being a -certain tumble-down, abandoned house. - -There he found what he sought—a moisture-proof box of considerable -size, containing a complete outfit of clothing, an automatic of the -latest model, and no less than five hundred dollars in gold. - -We have hinted that Ernest Gordon was no ordinary criminal, and the -truth of that has doubtless begun to shine through this narrative. -Here, at any rate, is striking evidence of it. - -Green Eye had always preferred to work alone, as many of the most -successful criminals have done. He had friends, however, and one of -these had carried out his directions. The gates of Clinton Prison had -not even closed behind Gordon, when the latter had begun to plan for a -possible escape, and the planting of this box played an important part -in the arrangement. - -During his many months in the prison, Green Eye had not succeeded in -liberating himself, but now that the fire had enabled him to escape, -the box was waiting for him, thanks to his unusual foresight. - -Thus it was that he had completely eluded pursuit. The authorities were -looking for a commonplace, unimaginative yegg, who went by the name of -Shang Libby, and who might be expected to retain some, at least, of -his prison garments. It is little wonder, therefore, that they failed -to capture the polished and superdaring Gordon, who lost no time in -starting for New York City in a sleeping car. - -The fugitive’s first thought when he reached the metropolis was one -of revenge. He had no idea of killing Nick Carter for the part the -latter had played in his downfall, for murder had never been in his -line. There are many other kinds of revenge, however, and Gordon was -determined to avail himself of one or more of them. - -He wished to humiliate Nick to the utmost, if possible, and, -incidentally, to do so in such a way that his success would line his -pockets with gold. - -He had a plan, when he presented himself at Nick’s door, but it -was lacking in many details, for these he had decided to leave to -the inspiration of the moment. In any case, however, he meant to -palm himself off as a would-be client, and, having thus gained the -detective’s confidence, to proceed with the rest of the scheme, or some -modification of it. - -“Is Mr. Carter in?” he asked anxiously, when the butler opened the door. - -“No, sir,” the servant replied, noting with approval the visitor’s -apparent prosperity and air of importance. “Mr. Carter is out of town -at present.” - -“Is it possible? For how long?” - -“He went away day before yesterday, and expected to be absent for two -weeks.” - -“How unfortunate! I have a case of the utmost importance—the sort of -thing no one else can handle,” the caller said, with the semblance -of profound disappointment. “One of his assistants might help me to -some extent, however, or bring the matter to Mr. Carter’s attention by -telegraph.” - -Again the butler shook his head regretfully. He was being very -indiscreet, but he did not suspect it for a moment, owing to the -impression the stranger made upon him. - -“I’m afraid that’s out of the question, too, sir,” he answered. “There -is no one at home who could attend to you. It’s the first time it has -happened in years.” - -The stranger seemed greatly distressed. - -“This is terrible!” he cried. “I don’t know what I shall do if I can’t -get hold of Mr. Carter. I would be very sorry to break up his vacation, -but I’m sure if he knew the circumstances, he would not hesitate for a -moment. Some very prominent people are involved, and, unless something -is done speedily, there will be nothing short of a national scandal. -Surely, you will give me Mr. Carter’s address, will you not?” - -The butler hesitated—and fell. - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - - THE DETECTIVE’S “HALFWAY HOUSE.” - - -Chick had been in favor of cutting off all communication with the -detective’s residence in New York. It was not because he himself felt -any great need of a holiday, but rather because he had an exaggerated -notion that his chief was badly in need of a change. - -Nick, however, had vetoed this suggestion, and left things largely to -his butler’s discretion. The butler had been in his service for years, -and had shown himself by no means a fool. - -“If anything big develops,” Nick had told him, “do not hesitate to -telegraph for me, or have me called on the long distance—if there isn’t -time to write. I don’t want to miss an important case.” - -The butler remembered these words now—and forgot that he did not even -know the caller’s name. Carried away by the man’s air of authority, he -blurted out the desired information. - -“Mr. Carter is staying at the Buck’s Head Inn, Little Saranac Lake, -sir,” he said. - -“Many thanks! That’s all I need. I’m sure Mr. Carter will respond at -once when he hears what’s in the wind,” Gordon declared importantly, -and having made a note of the address, thanked the butler again, and -returned to the waiting taxi. - -Green Eye had seen a great light as a result of the butler’s incautious -revelations, and all his previous plans had been discarded. In their -place a new one was growing—a plan that promised to set a record for -daring, and to bring the detective nearer to professional shipwreck -than he had been in all of his career. - -The new plan did not involve an interview with Nick. On the contrary, -it was built upon the fact that the detective was hundreds of miles -away, buried in the woods. - -Therefore, as may be guessed, Green Eye did not make use of the address -the butler had given him. He was quite satisfied to have created the -impression that he intended to communicate with Nick at once, and that -the latter might return in the course of a day or two. - -The following morning an individual climbed the stairs leading to one -of Nick’s “halfway houses,” that particular one being on One Hundred -and Twenty-fifth Street. - -Nick Carter maintained a number of these places in different parts -of the city, and in each of them he kept several complete changes -of clothing and a supply of wigs, false mustaches, beards, make-up -articles, and the like. - -Their mission is perfectly obvious. Under ordinary circumstances, -it was safe enough for the detective and his assistants to disguise -themselves at home, and to return to their headquarters at their -pleasure. When they were handling an unusually delicate case, however, -or dealing with exceptionally clever lawbreakers, they found it -necessary to take further precautions, and these so-called halfway -houses then came in handy. - -In other words, the secret bases of supplies—each of which had -two exits—made it possible for them to leave and return to their -headquarters openly, and without disguise, although the intervening -hours might be devoted to the most relentless shadowing, carried on -under all sorts of guises. - -The man who climbed the stairs at the One Hundred and Twenty-fifth -Street place, therefore, might easily have been Nick in the act of -returning from some such expedition. He did not look in the least like -the great detective, but that proved nothing, and his actions went far -to indicate that he was Nick or one of the latter’s assistants. - -He boldly approached the door of the room, the location of which did -not seem to give him the slightest trouble, despite the fact that there -was nothing on the door to guide him. He seemed to have some little -difficulty in getting the door open, to be sure; but, after working at -the lock for two or three minutes, he gained entrance. - -Many criminals would have given a great deal to know the location of -one of those rooms, but Nick did not dream that one rascal had long -since discovered the halfway house in Harlem. - -The man who had gained entrance by picking the lock was Green-eye -Gordon, of course. - -He had learned of the place shortly before Nick had caught him, two -years or more back, and had been more or less uncertain as to the -present use of the room. The detective might have given it up in the -interval, for all he knew, but he had resolved to put his knowledge to -the test, and now he was rewarded, for a glance about the place showed -him that it was still employed by the detective. - -Rows of clothing hung in orderly array on hooks along the walls. At -one side there was a long mirror, which enabled one to view oneself -from head to feet, and between the windows, at the rear, was a dressing -table, which looked as if it might belong to some musical-comedy star, -so cluttered was it with make-up materials of all sorts. - -It was nearly an hour later when Ernest Gordon let himself out, locked -the door behind him—after some further effort—and sauntered downstairs. - -Another complete transformation had taken place in his appearance. He -was no longer the hunted criminal who had escaped from Clinton Prison, -no longer the dressy individual who had presented himself at the -detective’s, the day before, and least of all did he look like the man -who had ascended those stairs some fifty minutes previously. - -Now, to all intents and purposes, he was Nick Carter himself. - -Not only was he wearing one of the excellent suits the detective kept -for his more respectable disguises, but in build, walk, features, and -even expression, he was as much like Nick Carter as one pea is like -another. - -His astounding plan had ripened into action. - - - - - CHAPTER V. - - IN NICK’S SHOES. - - -The butler happened to be out ordering supplies when the detective’s -front bell rang, and, as Mrs. Peters, the housekeeper, was near the -door, she answered it. - -On the tip of her tongue she had the answer which she had already given -to several inquiries—that the detective was out of town. Therefore, her -amazement may be imagined when she found—as she supposed—that it was -Nick himself who was outside. - -“For goodness’ sake, sir!” she ejaculated, starting in surprise. “What -in the world are you doing back so soon?” - -The masquerader smiled one of Nick’s characteristically genial smiles. - -“I was called back, I’m sorry to say,” he answered, his voice taking on -the detective’s familiar tones. “Joseph furnished my address yesterday, -I believe, and the man he gave it to wired me to come back. The case -was so important that I felt I had to. I hope to return, though, in a -few days, and, as I have everything here, of course, I didn’t bring any -baggage.” - -“Well, I never!” exclaimed the housekeeper. “I feared it would be just -like this, but I hoped you would stay this time. Didn’t Mr. Chickering -come back with you?” - -“No, I left him at Little Saranac, but shall send for him if I need -him.” - -As they had been speaking, the housekeeper had instinctively stepped -aside, and Gordon had passed her. Now he started up the stairs, in the -direction of the study. - -“You’ll have some lunch ready at the usual time?” he asked, looking -back over his shoulder. - -“Of course, sir,” was the reply; and that was all that was said. - -If the new arrival had been Nick himself, he would have smilingly -apologized to Mrs. Peters for having broken in so unexpectedly upon her -well-earned relaxation, but Green Eye was altogether too selfish to -think of such things. - -Thus far he had played his part very well, but there were many pitfalls -in his path, and there was no knowing at what moment he might fall into -one of them. His eyes were not Nick’s eyes, and his disposition was not -Nick’s disposition—far from it, in fact. - -At any moment his innate harshness and tyranny might assert themselves. - -Moreover, his habits were unlike those of the detective. He smoked -much more, for one thing, and he drank. Nick, to be sure, had consumed -many a glass of beer and wine—for effect and under protest—but he had -no real liking for anything of the sort, and no one had had a better -opportunity than he to note the evil effects of drink. - -Naturally, Gordon had resolved to deny himself whenever he was under -the eye of those who were familiar with Nick’s habits, but it remained -to be seen whether he would succeed in keeping to that resolution. - -Already he had forgotten one little thing which might have caused him -embarrassment, and might still do so, for that matter. He had meant to -offer some plausible explanation of his failure to let himself in with -a latchkey, but he had forgotten all about it at the time, and now it -might seem strange if he brought up the subject. - -He had not come straight to the house from the changing room on One -Hundred and Twenty-fifth Street, but had shown himself in one or -two places where Nick was well known, his idea being to see if his -disguise would pass inspection elsewhere before submitting himself -to the scrutiny of Nick’s household. That had consumed some time; -consequently, the luncheon hour was near when he arrived at the house. - -He was on fire with eagerness to rummage in Nick’s desk, hunt about -in his file cases, and rifle his safe, but he knew that he could not -accomplish much before lunch, and he did not wish to make himself -conspicuous by passing over that meal. Perhaps he could accomplish -something, however. - -With that idea in view, he approached one of the detective’s metal file -cases. The drawers were locked, but he found a means of opening them, -and the drawer he first pulled out was that devoted to the letter “G.” - -A few moments spent in thumbing over the big cards filed there brought -the desired one to light. It was that devoted to himself, and bore, in -addition to a lot of closely written information, a photograph and a -set of facsimile finger prints. - -Gordon seemed to take a grim delight in reading the accurate -description of himself, and the careful details concerning his career, -characteristic methods, and so on. - -“Not bad!” he muttered presently. “In fact, it’s a little too true for -comfort. I think I shall have to withdraw it.” - -And going over to the wastebasket, he deliberately tore the card into -small bits and dropped them into the receptacle. - -After that he returned to the file case, fingered over some of the -other cards, and then leaned thoughtfully on the opened drawer. - -“There are hundreds and thousands of cases recorded here,” he mused, -“but apparently they are not the most important ones, and it’s safe to -say that Carter isn’t keeping records of his most confidential affairs -in such an easily accessible place. I have no doubt I could milk lots -of these fellows for tidy little sums, but I’m after big game just -now—not rabbits.” - -His gaze strayed in the direction of the detective’s safe, and a more -calculating look came into his eyes. - -“I shouldn’t be surprised if you hold the records I’m looking for—or -some of them,” he muttered aloud, addressing the big safe. “If not, you -may contain something else of interest. At any rate, I’m going to find -out, the first chance I get.” - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - - AN INTERRUPTION. - - -The audacity of Green-eye Gordon’s venture has doubtless been apparent -from the beginning, but now the real purpose of his impersonation has -begun to be discernible. - -He was not there in Nick Carter’s shoes, in undisturbed possession of -the detective’s study, for the mere satisfaction involved in such a -daring masquerade. Of course, the experience was a stimulating one, and -the clever rascal chuckled to himself every time he pictured Nick’s -face when the detective learned the truth. It was something more -practical, though, that had brought him there. - -Naturally, if he succeeded in gaining access to the safe, he would not -be above appropriating to his own uses whatever money and valuables he -might find there, but his desires even went beyond that—far beyond it. - -He knew that Nick had handled many of the most delicate cases that had -ever developed in this country, and was the custodian of more secrets -than had come into the possession of any other American. - -Among those secrets he had no doubt were many of such a nature that -those concerned would feel compelled to part with large sums of money, -in order that their secrets might be kept. Some of them doubtless -were men and women now wealthy or distinguished, who had some secret -connected with their past lives which they would go to almost any -lengths to keep the world from knowing. In other cases, the guilty -might be dead, or unable to pay, but the records would probably give -the names of relatives, friends, or former business associates who -might be successfully blackmailed. - -That was it—blackmail on a huge and hitherto unprecedented scale. - -The accomplished scoundrel had made up his mind that Nick Carter’s -records would prove nothing less than a gold mine, and he meant to work -that mine for all it was worth in the next week or ten days. Nick might -have destroyed the most confidential and dangerous of these records, -but Gordon did not believe that to be the case. - -“They are too valuable to him in his work,” he told himself. “And, -even if they were not, the keeping of records gets to be a habit. Of -course, he may realize that some of them would be more dangerous than -a few tons of dynamite, if they should fall into the wrong hands, and -he may have placed the ones of that description in some safe-deposit -vault. If he has, that will mean much more trouble, but if I can locate -the vault, I ought to be able to trick those in charge of it into -giving me access to the box, even if I can’t produce the key. Am I not -Carter himself, and are not keys lost or mislaid in the best-regulated -families? - -“Let’s hope that won’t be necessary, though. I trust I shall find what -I want right in this room.” - -He was summoned to luncheon then, but he came through the ordeal that -followed with flying colors. Joseph, the detective’s butler, served him -in person, and evidently found nothing more suspicious than Mrs. Peters -had done. Gordon still had himself well in hand, and, after the brief -greetings were over, little was said. - -“I’ll eat what’s set before me,” Green Eye had decided. “The servants -are well trained, and ought to know Carter’s likes and dislikes by this -time; therefore I can’t go far wrong in eating what they serve, whether -I like it or not. It won’t be easy to deny myself, and to keep on the -alert, but I shall have to pay some penalties, I suppose, for aspiring -to be the great and exalted Nick Carter.” And he grinned at the thought. - -After luncheon the impostor hurried back upstairs, and hunted up a box -of Nick’s favorite Havana cigars. A handful of them underwent a careful -selection, and a more or less appreciative sniffing before being -transferred to his pocket. - -“Not so bad,” he commented mentally. “A little too dry, though, and -I’ve smoked better.” - -Nevertheless, he did not seem averse to smoking these, one after -another. - -“I shall have to go out before long, I suppose,” he decided. “It’s -understood that I’ve been called back on important business, and, as -it isn’t convenient for my new client to call on me here, I’ll be -expected to meet him elsewhere, and to make a noise like action.” - -That did not deter him, however, from making an immediate descent upon -the safe, but he soon found that he would be obliged to defer serious -activities in that connection. He had hoped to be able to open the safe -by merely putting one ear to the door and listening to the fall of the -tumblers in the lock, but five or ten minutes’ effort convinced him -that that was out of the question. - -“It can’t be done with a lock like this,” he concluded, with a muttered -imprecation. “It looks to me as if I would have to force my way in if -I’m going to get in at all. That will be decidedly risky, at best, but -I think I can do it quietly enough, and, after it’s over, I ought to -be able to find some means of concealing my handiwork. Not just now, -though, thanks. I’ll take something a little easier, first.” - -And with that he turned his attention to the desk. - -The top had been cleared of its accumulation of papers before the -detective’s departure, and the drawers were all locked, but Green Eye -was provided with certain handy little tools. To be sure, it took two -or three minutes to open each drawer, but soon the contents of three or -four of them lay at his disposal in plain sight, and he determined to -examine these papers and books before opening the other drawers. - -He was engaged in this absorbing occupation, when the lower bell rang -and roused him with a start. - -“Wonder who that is?” he asked himself apprehensively, then shrugged -his shoulders. “This won’t do!” he muttered. “If I’m going to be as -nervous as a cat at every sound, I had better give up. What difference -does it make who it is; I’m master of the situation.” - -He listened attentively, and heard Joseph go to the door, after -which there was a murmur of voices, followed by steps on the stairs. -Presently, the butler knocked and entered. - -“I thought I told you at luncheon that I was still out of town,” Gordon -said angrily. “I came back for this one case, nothing else, and I don’t -want to be bothered by every Tom, Dick, and Harry.” - -“I didn’t forget, sir, I assure you,” Joseph said apologetically. “It’s -Mr. Cray, though, and I felt you would want to make an exception in his -case. There’s a gentleman with him.” - -Gordon knew what that meant, for he had studied Nick Carter almost -as thoroughly as the detective had studied him. Moreover, had he not -himself figured not inconspicuously in detective circles not many years -before? Consequently, he knew that the Cray referred to was Jack Cray, -a former police detective, who for years had been in business for -himself, and who, curiously enough, was a close friend of Nick’s. - -The two were about as unlike as possible, but Cray, big, methodical, -tireless, and brave to the point of recklessness, was a fine example -of his type, and had won Nick’s friendship and assistance, giving, in -return, a rare gratitude and loyalty. - -Nick had thrown many cases in Cray’s way, and, on the other hand, -had found his big, lumbering friend of considerable assistance -now and then. In fact, they worked together unusually well, for -Cray had all the plodding methods of the police department at his -command, to supplement Carter’s swift intuitions, and the ex-police -detective—unlike many of his kind—was always ready to follow Nick’s -leadership, and defer to the latter’s better judgment. - -Should the bogus Nick Carter see Cray, though? He did not in the -least fear discovery at Cray’s hands, but the interview might lead to -something embarrassing. On the other hand, it might be most fortunate. - -Obviously, Cray had brought one of his clients to Nick, and that meant -that the big fellow felt himself more or less out of his depth, and -wished to consult with his brilliant friend. - -If the case were important enough, it would be worth while for Green -Eye to look into it. He felt himself quite capable of solving almost -any puzzle if he chose to solve it, but, aside from that, there was a -possibility of pickings—of blackmail again. But much depended upon the -client. - -“Who is the other man?” the criminal asked eagerly. “Did Cray say?” - -“Yes, sir. It’s Mr. Griswold—Mr. Lane A. Griswold.” - -The man behind the desk whistled softly, and a gleam came into his -eyes. - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - - THE RASCAL’S FIRST CLIENT. - - -Green Eye’s decision had been an immediate one when he heard the second -man’s name, for Lane A. Griswold was several times a millionaire, and -the owner of the New York _Chronicle and Observer_, one of the biggest -and most influential of the country morning papers—the first and most -conspicuous link in the chain of daily publications which now stretched -all the way across the continent. - -Millionaires were worth cultivating, according to Gordon’s philosophy, -and he reasoned that if he could get any sort of a hold upon this one, -it might mean the greatest stroke of luck in his life. - -It was well to be on the safe side, however, and he knew that Cray -sometimes exhibited an unexpected degree of intelligence. In the light -of that thought, he took an automatic from one of the open drawers, -examined it to make sure that it was loaded and in first-class -condition, and then dropped it into the right-hand pocket of his coat. - -After that he closed the drawers, darkened the room, took up his cigar, -and leaned back in his chair. - -“Nick Carter” was ready for another case—as ready as a spider is for a -fly. - -The face of the man was calm, his expression indifferent, but it is -probable that his heart was beating at an unusually rapid rate, and -that more or less fear was lurking behind that noncommittal exterior. - -It would have been strange, indeed, had it not been the case, for, -with all his daring, this was no commonplace, everyday affair for -Ernest Gordon. He might remind himself as much as he pleased that he -was “officially” dead, burned in the fire at Clinton Prison, and that -no one would be looking for him for that reason, but the many months -he had spent within those grim walls had told upon him physically and -mentally. - -In other words, he was not yet his old self. The unnatural conditions -of prison life so lately left behind had incapacitated him to a certain -extent for this abrupt plunge into the life outside, especially a -plunge of such an interesting character, yet he gave no sign of all -this, and, unless something unforeseen developed, he would doubtless -gain confidence and ability as time went on. - -For that matter, he had already planned and begun to carry out a scheme -which would have daunted any other criminal in the country. - -The supposed detective regarded his visitors with lowered eyes as he -rose languidly from his chair. - -Jack Cray’s red face was redder than usual with excitement, and there -was something about his manner that suggested he had brought the famous -newspaper owner there for no trivial reason. - -The latter was a man rather over medium height, dressed in the very -latest fashion, but with a trace of untidiness that suggested a -careless valet. His face was inclined to be sallow, and the light -eyes, prominent and rather jerky in their movements, had heavy bags -under them, despite the fact that their owner must still have been -under fifty. - -For the rest, his chin was firm, perhaps a little pugnacious, and his -bearing was that of a man who fully realizes his importance. - -“This is Mr. Lane A. Griswold, the owner of the _Chronicle and -Observer_, you know, Carter,” explained the flustered Cray. “Mr. -Griswold, my friend, Nicholas Carter.” - -Gordon kept his eyelids partially drawn down as he greeted the -millionaire. It was a trick of Carter’s when thinking. In fact, the -detective often closed his eyes altogether at such times. Gordon had -noted this, and was making use of it in order to conceal the color -of his eyes, the one weak point about his impersonation, physically -considered. - -Cray was inclined to clip his words short, and leave out as many of -them as he could, thereby giving an impression of unusual directness, -and a haste that cannot stop for trifles. - -“Very important case, this one, Mr. Griswold has brought me,” he said. -“Delicate matter, too—decidedly. Did little job for him once, so he -brought me this. Thought I’d better let you in on it, though.” - -Gordon nodded slightly, as if all this was quite a matter of course. - -“I shall be glad to hear what it is about, Mr. Griswold,” he said. “Of -course, I’m very busy, as always, but——” - -“I understand that,” the newspaper proprietor broke in. “I’ll make this -well worth while for both of you, though, if you can handle it without -publicity.” - -Green Eye smiled. “That sounds rather strange from the lips of our -greatest apostle of publicity,” he commented. - -Griswold gave a gesture of impatience. “Perhaps so,” he admitted. -“I can’t help that, though. Facts are facts, and this would be most -embarrassing to me if any of my competitors should get hold of it, or -even if it were spread by word of mouth.” - -He fixed Gordon with his eyes, looking him up and down, as if -scrutinizing an applicant for the position of office boy—supposing a -millionaire would descend to such trivialities. - -But the bogus detective stood the scrutiny very well. To tell the -truth, Ernest Gordon was really beginning to enjoy himself. Griswold’s -first words could hardly have sounded more promising. They suggested -all sorts of delightful and golden possibilities. - -It seemed perfectly plain that this was just the sort of thing he was -looking for—the case of a wealthy, prominent man, who had something -to hide, and was willing to pay liberally to those who would keep his -secret. - -“I can trust you implicitly, whether you succeed or fail, to reveal no -word of what I’m about to tell you?” Griswold asked sharply. - -The man behind the desk shrugged his shoulders in a way that was -characteristic of Nick Carter on occasion. - -“I’ve been in the confidence of presidents and senators, ambassadors -and noblemen—and millionaires,” he returned, tacking on the word -“millionaires” as if it were an afterthought. “In fact, I may claim -some knowledge of the secrets of royalty.” - -It was all perfectly true from Nick Carter’s standpoint, but the -detective himself would not have put it in that way, or boasted of it -at all. - -“Of course, you may confide in me or not, as you please,” Green Eye -continued, warming up as he gained self-confidence. - -“Tut-tut!” ejaculated Griswold, with a somewhat pained expression. He -had come, with reason, to believe that wealth would buy anything, and -he was not quite prepared for this show of indifference. “I meant no -offense, Mr. Carter, you may be sure. As I said, though, this is a very -ticklish business——” - -“We’ll take that for granted,” Gordon quietly interrupted. “Were you -going to give me the details, Mr. Griswold?” - -His cool, almost insolent tone gave no hint of the turmoil of -impatience raging within. - -What was he about to hear, and what use would he make of it—in other -words, how much could he make it yield him in cold, hard cash, or -crackling bank notes? - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - THE ABSCONDING TREASURER. - - -For a time it looked as if the millionaire newspaper proprietor meant -to resent the supposed detective’s effrontery in some way, but he -managed to swallow his wrath, and, after reseating himself and angrily -fingering his watch chain, got down to business. - -Probably he had decided that it would be very poor policy to have words -with a man of Nick’s reputation, especially when he was badly in need -of the detective’s services. - -After clearing his throat, he began: - -“I have explained it all to Mr. Cray, here, but perhaps I had better go -over it again, in my own way. The case is in connection with the relief -fund which my papers, headed by the _Chronicle and Observer_, have -raised for the Hattontown sufferers.” - -Gordon nodded almost imperceptibly. The terrible fire at Hattontown, -which had destroyed a large part of one of New England’s busiest little -manufacturing cities, had occurred while he was still in prison. He had -read of it, however, in the papers to which he had access in the prison -library, and for that reason he was familiar with the main facts. - -Hundreds of residences and business blocks had been destroyed, with -an appalling property loss and a considerable loss of life, as well. -Thousands of persons, men, women, and children, had been rendered -homeless and penniless. - -That was where Griswold’s chain of newspapers had taken a hand. Always -quick to respond to such emergencies—largely, it is to be feared, -for the advertising it gave them—they had started to raise a fund -for the destitute victims, and, thanks to their tremendous combined -circulations, the amount had soon attained imposing proportions. - -Part of it had been paid out for the immediate needs of the victims, -but most of it, according to the latest reports Gordon had seen, was -being retained for more permanent aid, to provide work, homes, et -cetera. - -What could there be about this fund, Green Eye wondered, that required -investigation, particularly an investigation prompted by the proprietor -of the newspapers responsible for it. - -“As usual,” Griswold went on. “I started the fund by subscribing five -thousand dollars, and many men of substance have contributed large -sums, although none so large as that. You may or may not know that the -receipts to date total a little over a hundred thousand dollars.” - -“A very neat sum, indeed,” Gordon commented, “and one that is very -creditable to those who have contributed, especially those who have -done so anonymously.” - -He could not resist that slight dig, for he knew perfectly well -that Lane A. Griswold had never been guilty of making an anonymous -contribution in his life. He was never satisfied unless his name could -head the list. - -Perhaps this baiting was unwise, but Green Eye did not think so. A -little of it, he felt sure, would be good for the millionaire, and give -him a wholesome fear of the supposed detective. He decided, though, to -let it go at that, for the present, at least. - -As for Griswold, after swallowing hard two or three times, he evidently -determined to ignore the thrust. - -“But how could a criminal case, delicate or otherwise, have arisen out -of such a philanthropic enterprise?” Green Eye queried innocently. - -If pressed, he could have given a pretty shrewd guess, but it suited -his purpose just then to take another course. - -“It’s simple enough—too infernally simple!” Griswold retorted -feelingly. “The money has been stolen, that’s all!” - -Gordon had suspected something of the sort, but it was pleasing to -hear it put into words. A hundred-thousand-dollar relief fund reposing -safely in some bank vault was of only theoretical interest to him, -along with the hundreds of millions stored in similar vaults within -a radius of a few miles of Nick Carter’s study. A hundred thousand -dollars—or anywhere near that amount—in the hands of a fugitive from -justice was a very different matter, however. There were possibilities -in that situation. - -“Ah, I’m not surprised!” Gordon remarked calmly. “How and when was the -money taken? I assume you don’t know by whom?” - -“But I do—I know only too well,” Griswold told him promptly. - -“You do?” - -“There’s no room for doubt about it. The money was taken by a man -named John Simpson, an old and trusted employee of the _Chronicle and -Observer_.” - -“How did he happen to have access to it, may I ask?” - -“I made him the treasurer of the fund. I never dreamed of anything of -this sort. He had served in a similar capacity more than once in the -past, and always with the most scrupulous fidelity.” - -“But how did he have possession of the whole fund, if it was collected -by different newspapers?” - -“Daily drafts were sent to the _Chronicle and Observer_, as the -parent newspaper of the chain. Our New York office is the general -headquarters, you know.” - -“I see. Simpson is missing, is he, along with the money?” - - - - - CHAPTER IX. - - CHANCE PLAYS INTO GORDON’S HANDS. - - -The newspaper proprietor nodded gloomily in response to Gordon’s -question. - -“Yes,” he answered, “Simpson disappeared four days ago.” - -“Has he a family?” - -“A wife.” - -“And she knows nothing about him, or professes to know nothing?” - -“I feel sure she’s as much in the dark as we are.” - -“Perhaps—perhaps not,” murmured the bogus detective, joining the tips -of his fingers as he had seen Nick do. “Please tell me now how the -fellow managed to get hold of the money, to get it out of the bank or -banks in which it had been deposited to the credit of the fund. Surely, -his wasn’t the only signature required, was it? The checks drawn -against the fund must have been countersigned by some one else?” - -“They were—by Mr. Driggs, the vice president of our organization.” - -“Then how——” - -“In a very ingenious way. I wouldn’t have thought John Simpson capable -of so much adroitness. I was away at the time, but he prevailed upon -Mr. Driggs to withdraw the fund from the two New York banks in which -it had been deposited—the Broadway Exchange Bank, and the Hudson -National—and to transfer everything to the Cotton and Wool National at -Hattontown.” - -“Thus making it possible to deal with only one bank, and that a smaller -one whose officials presumably were not so wary,” Green Eye commented -judicially. “What excuse did he give?” - -“A most plausible one. He pointed out that the Hattontown sufferers and -the citizens generally would feel more comfortable, more sure of the -reality of the fund if they knew that it had been transferred to one -of their local banks. ‘We aren’t ready to pay the money all over to -them,’ he told Driggs. ‘Most of them would like to have it all at once, -of course, and they’re somewhat dissatisfied, even though the more -sensible among them realize that mere temporary relief isn’t a solution -to their problems. If we transfer the fund to Hattontown, however, that -will encourage them. They will feel it is almost in their hands.’ - -“Well, it looked like sound sense, and Driggs agreed, with the result -that every cent was withdrawn from the two New York banks. As you -say, that made it much easier for the thief. Still, the task that -remained would have seemed big enough to most men. In fact, they -would have passed it up as impossible. Not so our old, reliable John -Simpson, though—confound him! After plodding along as methodically -as any spiritless work horse for fifteen or eighteen years, he had -suddenly developed a streak of lawlessness, and, along with it, in -some unaccountable fashion, had come something approaching brilliancy -of mind. The Hattontown bank was now the custodian of the entire -fund, less what had been paid out to the victims for their immediate -necessities. As the disbursements amounted to a little less than -twenty thousand, there was a balance of about eighty thousand when the -transfer took place. Naturally, Simpson then turned his attention to -Hattontown. - -“The Cotton and Wool Bank there, so far as I’ve been able to ascertain, -is a fair sample of hundreds of good, average, conservatively conducted -institutions of the kind of our smaller cities. Apparently there was -no rottenness of which Simpson could take advantage, and evidently he -didn’t waste time over that possibility. He seems to have felt himself -quite capable of getting that money out by his own unaided efforts, and -subsequent events prove that his confidence was far from misplaced.” - -“What did he do?” Gordon urged eagerly. - -He was greatly interested; not from the standpoint of law and order, -but from that of one criminal studying the work of another. He had been -inclined at first to think that the fugitive would be easy to catch, -and easy to swindle out of the proceeds of the theft, but he was not so -sure of that now. - -“You would never guess in a hundred years, gentlemen,” Griswold assured -his two hearers. “This is new to Cray, too,” he added in explanation, -addressing Gordon. “I didn’t cover this point when I explained matters -to him. - -“This is the way he worked it: After getting the money where he -wanted it, he went to Driggs with another adroit idea—a suggestion -for the publicity stunt this time. One of the smaller papers under -my ownership, as you probably know, is published in Hattontown—the -Hattontown _Observer_. Well, Simpson went to Driggs and proposed that -that eighty thousand dollars be temporarily withdrawn from the bank in -gold, and exhibited under strong guard in the windows of the _Observer_ -office. See the point? He argued very convincingly that the sight of so -much money would create the greatest possible local sensation, and give -the people in Hattontown an exalted idea of the importance and power of -the _Observer_. Driggs offered certain objections, but Simpson argued -them away without much trouble. As a matter of fact, I have no doubt -but that I would have fallen for it as readily as Driggs did.” - -The millionaire paused and smiled in a rather grim fashion. - -“To tell the truth, I’ve actually adopted the suggestion,” he informed -them. “Eighty thousand dollars in gold is actually on exhibition at the -present time in the windows of the Hattontown _Observer_—under the eyes -of armed guards day and night.” - -“But——” Gordon had started to speak, but a gesture of Griswold’s -stopped him. - -“Let me explain,” the great newspaper owner hastened to say. “The -original fund has been stolen, but, of course, that fact is known -only to very few, including the officials of the Cotton and Wool Bank -in Hattontown. We cannot afford to let the truth get out, if we can -possibly help it, for it would be a serious blow to the prestige of -our organization; therefore I have duplicated the fund, drawing on -my private account for the purpose, and, as Simpson suggested, the -money has been placed on exhibition. It’s attracting an immense amount -of favorable attention, and will doubtless mean a great increase in -circulation for the Hattontown _Observer_. We have that much to thank -Simpson for, at any rate.” - -“Very extraordinary!” murmured the supposed detective aloud. “Better -and better!” he commented inwardly. “I haven’t any scruples to speak -of, but it goes without saying that I’d rather relieve this hog of a -millionaire of eighty thousand than take it from a few hundreds of poor -devils who have been cleaned out of everything. That money seems to be -fatherless, and waiting to be adopted. It was contributed to the fund, -but the fund is now complete without it. It doesn’t belong to Simpson, -and Griswold doesn’t need it. Obviously, it’s mine, and I’m going to -have it.” - -“But you haven’t told us yet,” he added, addressing his visitors, “how -the missing treasurer actually got his hands on the money. The bank in -Hattontown naturally wouldn’t have turned any such amount over to a -stranger.” - - - - - CHAPTER X. - - THE IMPOSTOR’S CLEVERNESS. - - -“You may take that for granted, of course,” Griswold agreed, in -reference to the bogus detective’s last suggestion. - -“But Simpson was treasurer of the fund,” Cray interposed. “He worked it -so the bank accepted his authority, and——” - -Gordon was studying the millionaire’s face, and was clever enough to -read what he saw there. - -“By no means, my dear Cray,” he said. “Simpson didn’t approach the -Hattontown bank in his capacity as treasurer of the fund. He knew -better than to do that—knew that he would have no standing there, -unless identified and backed up by the organization itself. He knew, -too, as I reason it out, that the bank would look for any action to -come from the local newspaper, and would be off its guard if it did, -the _Observer’s_ man being naturally known to the bank officials.” - -He was watching Griswold narrowly all the time, and saw that he was on -the right track. - -“Mean he had an accomplice on the Hattontown paper?” demanded Cray, -looking startled. - -“By no means,” Gordon returned calmly, still using Griswold’s -expression as a guide. “There’s such a thing, though, as impersonation, -my friend.” - -It was a venturesome leap, but it proved surprisingly successful. - -“By Jove!” ejaculated the millionaire, looking at the supposed Nick -Carter in amazement and with a new respect. “You have hit the nail on -the head, Mr. Carter! How in the world——” - -Gordon shrugged his shoulders. - -“Oh, it was very simple,” he confessed. “I read it all in your face.” - -He rightly guessed that that would not make it seem any the less -remarkable in Griswold’s eyes. - -“I don’t see how,” declared the millionaire. - -“Some stunt!” Cray commented admiringly. - -“I did just that, though,” Green Eye assured the millionaire. “Of -course, I saw in advance that Simpson would have been powerless unless -introduced by the manager of your local paper, and supplied with -credentials from the New York office. The credentials might have been -forged, to be sure, but a local introduction would have been out of the -question without the assistance of a confederate to impersonate the -manager, or some one else in authority on the paper. And if there was -any impersonating to be done, it was clear that Simpson could do it -himself. For the rest, I depended upon your expression, Mr. Griswold, -to tell me when I got off the track.” - -“It is useless to try to belittle your achievements, sir,” the -millionaire told him. “I consider it an evidence of most unusual -ability. You have hit upon the truth in a manner that has taken my -breath away. You are quite right, Mr. Carter. The trick was turned -by means of impersonation, and the man impersonated was the business -manager of the Hattontown _Observer_. Charles Danby is his name, and, -as it happens, he and Simpson resemble each other more or less. Simpson -pleaded overwork as a result of his extra duties in connection with the -fund, and got permission to be away for a couple of days. Evidently he -lost no time in going to Hattontown, and there he presented himself at -the bank in the guise of Danby.” - -“The fellow must have had nerve!” contributed Jack Cray. “Hard to -believe he isn’t a dyed-in-the-wool crook.” - -“It’s almost incredible,” Griswold agreed, “but apparently there’s no -room for doubt that Simpson did the whole business. He was known at the -bank, but no one suspected the deception, and the only thing the bank -people can remember that was queer about him was his husky voice, which -he attributed to a cold. - -“In the character of Danby, he informed the bank people, and showed a -letter addressed to Danby and signed by Driggs, our vice president. -The letter was perfectly genuine, and had been dictated here, in our -New York office, following Driggs’ acceptance of Simpson’s scheme -for exhibiting the gold. Simpson had managed to get possession of -it, however, before it was sent out, and the real Danby never got a -sight of it. Naturally, the bank officials did not approve. The plan -seemed too spectacular, and altogether too risky. It was none of their -business, though, and they finally agreed to an immediate removal of -the gold.” - -“Simpson had a car handy, then?” queried Green Eye. - -“Oh, yes, he had an electric outside—said he had just bought it at -secondhand. Hattontown is a place of twenty or thirty thousand, you -know—too large for every one to know the business of everybody else; -consequently, the bank people had no reason to doubt his word.” - -“How about guards, though,” Cray broke in. - -“There were none,” Griswold answered. “The bank people claim to have -expostulated on that score, but Simpson scoffed at their fears. It was -broad daylight, in a peaceable community, and he had only a few blocks -to go. He assured them, however, that the gold would be carefully -guarded when it was put on exhibition, and reminded them that their -responsibility ended when he had withdrawn the deposit. I forgot to -say, also, that he presented an order on the bank for the withdrawal, -signed by John Simpson, as treasurer.” - -“So they packed all this money up, loaded it on the electric, and let -him make off with it alone, did they?” queried Gordon. “It certainly -sounds like small-time stuff. I suppose we can’t blame them, though. -They had plenty of reason to think that everything was straight. -Anything more, Mr. Griswold?” - -“That’s practically all, I think,” the millionaire returned. “We -haven’t notified the police, or employed any other detectives; -therefore we have been unable to trace the rascal’s further movements. -The only reason we know all this is that it has come out naturally. One -of the bank officials met the real Danby the next day, and expressed -surprise that he had heard nothing of the gold being put on exhibition. -You can imagine Danby’s consternation, and the confidential reports -that have been flying back and forth since then.” - -“Trail begins in Hattontown, then,” Cray mused aloud. - -“We may cross it at some other point, though,” hinted Gordon. “Describe -Simpson, please, Mr. Griswold.” - -The newspaper proprietor fumbled in his pocket and produced a -photograph, which Gordon took eagerly. - -“Seen it already,” Cray informed him. “Face commonplace, easily -disguised.” - -The photograph was indeed that of a very ordinary-looking man. He was -a little over forty, one would have said, but looked older. He was -somewhat bald, wore glasses, which would make it difficult to determine -the color and expression of his eyes, and had a rather weak, amiable -face. - -In short, he belonged to the traditional clerk or bookkeeper type, and -seemed to be one of those men whose chief object in life is to hold -down some poorly paid position, and to cheerfully make hypocrites of -themselves in order to do so. - -With that pictured face before him, Ernest Gordon found it very -difficult indeed to credit Simpson with the cleverness and -resourcefulness which had been so conspicuous in Griswold’s account -of the theft. Still, he knew that such men sometimes had flashes of -brilliancy. - -“Let’s hope it’s nothing more than a flash, though,” he told himself. -“If he were to keep up that pace, it might not be such a cinch to -corner him—but he won’t. He’ll have a relapse, and when it comes, he’ll -be an easy mark.” - -He continued to examine the face in detail. - -“You feel sure his wife does not know of his crime?” was his next -question. - -“Certainly not,” was the prompt answer. “That would have been unwise, -under the circumstances, for, in her distress, she would probably blurt -it out to her relatives and friends, and, before we knew it, the whole -thing might get into print. I have inquired about him, of course, and -she may suspect, but that’s all.” - -“Her address, please.” - -“No. 31 Floral Avenue, New Pelham.” - -Gordon jotted it down on one of Nick Carter’s pads. - -“Now, will you kindly answer a question that has been puzzling me for -some time?” he went on. “If we catch this man for you—or, rather, when -we catch him—what are you going to do with him? You can’t prosecute, -you know, without letting the cat out of the bag.” - - - - - CHAPTER XI. - - CRAY GETS HIS ORDERS. - - -“Unfortunately, that’s only too true,” admitted the millionaire -newspaper proprietor. “Secrecy is the prime requisite in this case, -and that precludes the possibility of arrest. I want you to catch -John Simpson, though, scare him as much as you can, and force him to -disgorge. He’ll be dropped from my staff, of course, but, beyond that, -we can do nothing.” - -“Compounding a felony—accessory after the fact!” Cray pronounced -disapprovingly. “Bad business—very bad!” - -“I can’t help that,” Griswold persisted, “and I’m willing to take -full responsibility. If any trouble threatens, I think I have enough -influence to fix things up.” - -Green Eye’s face was grave and thoughtful, but inwardly he was fairly -chuckling with glee. - -He could have asked nothing better than this extraordinary case, and -his only regret was that the amount involved was not much larger. -Everything seemed to play into his hands in the most unbelievable way. - -Here was a man, who, despite the surprising adroitness he had shown, -was plainly a novice in crime—a novice with something like eighty -thousand dollars in gold in his possession. And here, on the other -hand, was a man to whom eighty thousand dollars was only a drop in the -bucket, a trifle hardly worth mentioning. - -The latter’s interest demanded secrecy, required that the whole thing -should be conducted under cover, and unofficially. What an opportunity -it was! If Simpson could be caught—and Green Eye had no doubt he could -do it alone, or with Jack Cray’s unsuspecting assistance—it ought to be -a very simple matter to relieve the thief of the coin in some way, and -neglect to turn it over to Griswold. As for the latter, he could not -take the matter into the courts without ventilating the whole affair -from beginning to end. - -Surely, the situation seemed to have been made expressly for Green-eye -Gordon’s benefit. - -If necessary, two or three thousand—or possibly five—could be left in -Simpson’s possession, in order to buy his silence, or to induce him -to give some misleading explanation of the disappearance of the loot. -And here was Griswold, actually ready to pay handsomely for having the -robber robbed. - -No wonder that Green Eye exclaimed inwardly, “Oh, joy! This is almost -too good to be true!” - -As if influenced by his thought, the newspaper proprietor broke the -brief silence by announcing: - -“There’s the whole story, so far as I know, gentlemen. I need only add, -I think, that I’m prepared to pay you ten thousand dollars for your -services. What do you say, Mr. Carter? Will you help us? Mr. Cray has -already agreed to my proposition.” - -Gordon did not answer at once, as Nick would have done, if too many -cases were not already awaiting solution. He wished to impress the -others with his importance and indifference to monetary considerations. - -“The affair has its points of interest,” he conceded at length. “I went -up to the Adirondacks two or three days ago, intending to remain there -for a couple of weeks, but I was called back on urgent business. That -case, though important, is a comparatively simple one, and I can attend -to it at intervals.” - -“Then you’ll undertake this?” Griswold asked eagerly. - -The impostor slowly nodded. “I’m glad of an opportunity to oblige you, -Mr. Griswold,” he said. “And, of course, I’m always desirous of helping -my friend Cray, here, if possible.” - -“Good!” ejaculated the millionaire. “I’m glad, indeed, to have you -on the case, Mr. Carter. It’s no flattery to say that you’ve greatly -impressed me this morning. That being settled so satisfactorily, -however, I’ll leave you and Mr. Cray to decide upon your course of -action.” - -“Yes, we need not detain you any longer, I think,” Green Eye assured -him. - -Three minutes later Griswold was gone, after asking them to call him -up either at the office or the house whenever they desired any further -word from him, or had anything to report. - -As a mark of special respect, Gordon had accompanied his distinguished -client to the door. Now, with a smile on his face, he returned to -Nick Carter’s study, where the ex-police detective was awaiting him -impatiently. - -“Queer case, very!” Cray barked at him, as soon as he entered the -doorway. “What’s your idea? How are we going to handle it?” - -Doubtless, he had his own ideas as to the proper methods of procedure, -but he was revealing, as usual, deference where Nick was concerned. His -manner of exaggerated respect made it difficult for the masquerader to -keep his face straight. - -“I’m having the time of my life, without a doubt,” thought Gordon. “I -wouldn’t have missed this for anything. Here I am in Nick Carter’s -house, monarch of all I survey, with Cray fawning on me like a faithful -dog, and a multimillionaire for a client already. Soft, soft!” - -The accomplished rascal had really given a very creditable performance -while Lane A. Griswold was on the scene, but now, in spite of his -contempt of Cray, he decided to give the latter his head for the time. -It would be safer so, and, besides, Gordon was not one to exert himself -unnecessarily. - -He helped himself to another of Nick’s cigars, and threw himself into a -chair. - -“You have had more time to think about it than I have, Jack. Let’s hear -how you would go about it.” - -Cray found this very flattering. - -“Well,” he said, with assumed modesty, “I had thought of one or two -little things. Of course, there are two ends to be picked up, two -places to cover. One’s Hattontown—tracing the electric machine, and all -that.” - -Green Eye made a gesture of indifference, as if he did not think much -of that suggestion. - -“The other’s this end,” Cray went on, somewhat less confidently, -meaning the fellow’s home. - -Gordon gave a slight nod. “That’s more likely to yield something, I -should say,” he declared. “Of course, an electric car is comparatively -uncommon, and might be traced without a great deal of trouble. Several -days have passed, however, and that will make considerable difference. -Suppose we consider the situation at New Pelham. Much depends on that. -Of course, if Simpson is tired of his wife, and has decided to abandon -her, we may not be able to get a single clew there.” - -He gave another glance at the photograph which Griswold had left on the -desk. - -“The fellow’s face is against that supposition, however,” he went on; -“I don’t believe he has spunk enough to cut himself off absolutely from -his wife.” - -“Had spunk enough to swipe a fortune,” Cray pointed out skeptically. - -“I know, but there’s a difference. I don’t know where he got the nerve -to do what he did, but I’d like to wager a tidy little sum that a man -with that weak chin and mouth would be too much a slave to habit to cut -his domestic bonds with one slash. He’s probably foolishly fond of that -wife of his, no matter how much of a fright she may be, and, if I’m -right——” - -“He’ll write her sooner or later, or try to sneak an interview,” Cray -burst out excitedly, with the air of one who had just arrived unaided -at the most astounding conclusion. - -“Precisely,” agreed the masquerader. “That being so, I think you had -better cover the New Pelham end of it. Go and see the man’s wife, tell -her you are from the office, and find out all she knows. She may give -you a clew right away, without knowing it—something that may mean -nothing to her, but much to you.” - -“Get you,” Cray said eagerly. - -His distinguished friend, as he believed, had just said that the New -Pelham end of it was the most important, so that here was another -feather in his—Cray’s—cap. - -“I’ll work it for all I’m worth,” he added. “What line are you going to -take, though?” - - - - - CHAPTER XII. - - GREEN EYE DOES SOME THINKING. - - -That question of Cray’s ought to have proved very embarrassing to the -impostor under the circumstances. - -As a matter of fact, Green-eye Gordon did not intend to do anything, if -he could help it. It appealed to his lazy temperament, and his sense of -humor, as well, to let Cray do as much of the actual work as possible, -and then to step in at the end and claim the reward in his own peculiar -way. - -Of course, it remained to be seen whether or not he could carry out -that program without arousing the ex-police detective’s suspicion, -and its success was also conditioned on Cray’s ability to handle -the practical end of it in a way that promised to bring the desired -results. Naturally, if Cray fell down, he would be obliged to take a -hand in the game, and the eighty thousand dollars would amply reward -him for his exertions. - -“Time enough to cross that bridge when I come to it, however,” he -assured himself. “Meanwhile, I’ll do a little stalling, and see what -comes of it. It’s safe to say that it won’t prove so difficult as it -looks. Cray is more or less of a fool, and he thinks the sun rises and -sets in his good and great friend, Carter; hence, Carter can do no -wrong in his eyes—and I’m Carter.” - -He assumed an engaging expression. - -“I’m afraid you’ll have to go it alone, Jack,” he confessed frankly, -accompanying the words with a disarming smile. “For a day or two, that -is. Of course, we’ll go over the thing together step by step, and I’ll -give you my advice whenever you wish it. There’s this other case, -however, which will keep me in New York for the present, although it -won’t take up all of my time. You see how it is—it simply means that I -won’t be able to do much running around in the Simpson case just now. -As soon as I get this other thing out of the way, though——” - -“But hadn’t I better go to Hattontown, if that’s the state of affairs?” -suggested Cray. “You can’t leave New York just now, you say, but you -might be able to run out to New Pelham before long. For that matter, -it’s quite likely that you could handle Mrs. Simpson better than I -could. You have a great way of getting around the women.” - -Gordon looked around with mock alarm. - -“I’m glad there’s no one to overhear that, Jack,” he said, with a grin. -“I might get the reputation as a lady-killer.” - -“Nonsense, Carter!” scoffed Cray. “Everybody knows you never even look -at a woman that way. Seriously, though, hadn’t I better beat it for -Hattontown?” - -That would have appealed to Green Eye if he had had any desire to get -rid of his unsuspecting ally. That was not his purpose, however. He -had a strong feeling that New Pelham was more promising ground than -Hattontown, and, since he was determined that Cray should bear the -brunt of the investigation, it was to New Pelham that he meant to send -him. - -“No, I think my way is better,” he insisted quietly. “You will see that -later on, Jack, I’m sure. As for Hattontown, a few hours more or less -will make no difference. You can start for New England to-night, if -necessary.” - -Jack Cray scratched his closely cropped head in a manner that was -characteristic of him when in thought. - -“All right,” he agreed presently. “Guess I can handle it all. You are -usually right in the thick of it, though.” - -“I’ll be in the thick of it before we are through, Jack,” Gordon -assured him, with a hidden gleam in his eyes. - -And, with that, Cray heavily descended the stairs, and left the house. - -Now that he was alone, Green Eye leaned back in the chair, allowed his -face to relax into its own lines, and indulged in a prolonged fit of -silent laughter. - -“Ernest, my boy, this is the greatest piece of luck you ever had, or -ever dreamed of,” he murmured aloud. “What a yarn this will make when -you retire and write your reminiscences!” - -Soon he sobered down, however, and began to consider the case point by -point. - -“I’m willing to stake almost anything on that hunch of mine,” he -decided. “I feel sure the clew we are after will turn up at the -fellow’s place out in the suburbs sooner or later, and, naturally, I’m -not interested in the amount of work Cray is obliged to put into the -business, or the wasted efforts it involves.” - -At the same time, though, he meant to reason the thing out, so far as -he could. - -“This fellow Simpson,” he mused, “has been treasurer of other funds, -and has been connected with the auditors’ department for years. -That’s probably what influenced him to obtain the money in the bulky -or more awkward form of gold. He knew that paper currency of high -denomination could be traced by the numbers, if obtained from a bank or -any institution which keeps track of such things. On the other hand, -he seems to have overlooked the fact that there isn’t a great deal -of gold in common use, and that a man who keeps on tendering gold in -payment—after the theft of a large quantity of the stuff—is very likely -to fall under suspicion. That may give us a clew. - -“Obviously, the electric machine may furnish another, if it can be -traced. It isn’t probable that it belongs to Simpson, or, if it does, -that it has been in his possession very long. His salary hardly puts -him in the automobile class, and there’s nothing to show that he has -been dishonest in the business. Besides, an electric costs considerably -more than many makes of excellent cars.” - -The more he thought about Simpson’s use of such a machine, the more it -struck him as significant. - -“Why an electric, anyway?” he asked himself. “All that I know anything -about are ladylike little coupés—about the last thing any man in his -senses would be expected to choose for a quick get-away, especially -when weighted down with eighty thousand dollars in gold. Why did he -choose such a vehicle? What possible advantage could he see in it?” - -Green Eye turned this over for some time in his mind, stopping now and -then to grin, as he realized how seriously he was entering into the -problem. - -“I flatter myself I’m giving a pretty good imitation of Nick Carter,” -he thought, with a complacent grin. “Griswold threw bouquets at me, and -now I’m keeping up the pace when I don’t have to. - -“What’s the answer, though?” he went on mentally. “Hanged if I can see -more than one possibility. It strikes me that the great advantage of -an electric in the hands of a crook would be its silence. That must -be it—silence. But why should silence be of any particular importance -to Simpson? He didn’t have to use any gumshoe methods at the bank; -therefore, it looks as if he must have anticipated the need of stealth -at the other end when delivering the loot at its destination. - -“That’s the problem—that destination.” - - - - - CHAPTER XIII. - - THE POLICE DOG ACTS STRANGELY. - - -“The fellow has lived in and around New York for fifteen years, at -least, for he has been in the employ of the paper that long,” Gordon -thought, continuing his analysis. “Probably he hasn’t had more than -two weeks’ vacation a year. If so, he hasn’t had much chance to -make friends elsewhere, or familiarize himself with the criminal -possibilities of any particular locality. Hold up, though, my boy! -The fellow may have been born in the East, and may have spent every -vacation there. Better settle that before you go much farther.” - -Impelled by this, he promptly called up Griswold’s office, and, after a -little delay, Nick Carter’s magic name brought him directly into touch -with the newspaper proprietor. - -“It occurred to me to ask you another question or two about our friend -S., Mr. Griswold,” Green Eye said apologetically. “What is he, a New -Englander? Do you happen to know?” - -“No, no! He comes from the Middle West—somewhere in Ohio.” - -“But perhaps he has been in the habit of spending his vacations in -Massachusetts?” - -“I’ve already looked that up, Mr. Carter. The question occurred to me -when I first learned of his disappearance. Those who know him best, -though, in the office, tell me that he has either spent his little -vacations at home, in New Pelham, or back in Ohio.” - -“Then, so far as you know, New England is strange country to him?” - -“It would seem so.” - -“Now, about that electric—you haven’t known of his owning one in the -past, have you?” - -“Certainly not—he was paid only eighteen hundred a year.” - -“I see. That’s all at present, thanks. Sorry to have troubled you.” - -The clever scoundrel felt he was making headway. - -“Now we can go ahead with a little more assurance,” he soliloquized, -after he had hung up the receiver. “If New England is unknown to the -fellow, or known only in a superficial way, it doesn’t seem reasonable -to suppose that he would think of hiding the yellow boys there. -Besides, he must have them where he can obtain access to them at -frequent intervals—for he would be almost certain to be arrested if he -presented a quantity of gold at any bank, either for deposit or to be -exchanged for paper. That’s his hoard, therefore, from which he must -draw.” - -He grinned to himself. - -“Tastes differ, of course,” he went on mentally, “but New England isn’t -the place I’d choose if I had eighty thousand to spend. I would want a -little more action than I could get there. - -“Then what? Well, something tells me that the chap has headed back -in this direction. New York would attract that money as surely as -a magnet attracts iron filings. What’s more, Simpson is on his own -ground here. And the electric car? It’s a tempting theory, confoundedly -tempting! Why would a stay-at-home shrimp like Simpson think of hiding -his treasure if not somewhere on his own bit of land? That’s it, I’ll -wager! Not a bad idea, either, for, ordinarily, no one would think of -looking there for him or his loot. The police, for instance, would -spend a few years going over the rest of the world with a fine-tooth -comb before it would ever occur to them to look for the fugitive at -home. - -“But apparently the wife is straight, and doesn’t know of her husband’s -fall from grace. He can’t show himself to her, but he might safely -pay visits to the place at night, thanks to the silence of his little -electric. By George! What if I’m right? What a cinch for your Uncle -Ernest! I’m almost tempted to go there at once, and see if I can locate -the good old stuff. But, no, that won’t do. I’ll keep on playing a -thinking game as long as I can, and leave the legwork to the worthy -Jack Cray.” - -He threw a glance in the direction of Nick Carter’s safe. - -“Besides,” he continued inwardly, “eighty thousand isn’t so much, after -all. If I find what I hope to in that safe, and play my cards right, -I ought to make several times eighty thousand, and I mustn’t let the -grass grow under my feet, for Carter may come home in a very few days.” - -He got up, and was about to approach the safe, when there came a knock -at the door, and, in response to his somewhat surly invitation, Mrs. -Peters, the housekeeper, appeared on the threshold. She was dressed for -the street, and had a strap wrapped about the knuckles of one hand. - -“I’m going to take my usual constitutional, sir,” she announced, “and -I thought, if you had no objection, that I would take Prince with me. -He’s been shut up in the kennel most of the time since you went away, -and what he really needs is a good run.” - -Just then the detective’s famous police dog pushed past the -housekeeper’s skirts, and pattered into the study at the end of the -leash which Mrs. Peters held. - -The animal started eagerly for his master, as if surprised to find him -there. Suddenly, however, he halted, the hair along his back raised in -a bristling line, and an unmistakable snarl escaped him. - -“Good boy! Good old Prince!” Gordon said, in a wheedling tone, but -he had turned pale, and his eyes were very ugly. “Take him by all -means, Mrs. Peters. His confinement doesn’t seem to have improved his -temper—and I’m busy.” - -But the housekeeper was staring from Prince to the man she believed to -be her employer. - -“Well, I never expected to see anything like that!” she ejaculated -wonderingly. “Don’t you know your own master, Prince? What’s the matter -with you, anyway? You are not going mad, are you?” - -Green Eye’s hand had mechanically sought the pocket in which the -automatic lay. - -“Oh, it’s nothing like that,” he said, with assumed lightness. “The -heat has put him a bit out of temper, that’s all. Take him away, and -let him work off his grouch.” - -Still looking very much bewildered, Mrs. Peters turned to go, but she -had to drag the dog from the room by main force, and the more she -pulled at the leash, the more he snarled. - -When the door finally closed upon them, Gordon passed a trembling hand -across his forehead, and his fingers came away damp with sweat. - -“Curse the brute!” he muttered savagely. “If he does that again, I’ll -have to put him out of the way.” - -He had intended to tackle the safe, but now he changed his mind once -more. He was too much shaken by this last experience to attempt -anything of that sort at present, and, therefore, he determined to -take a walk and steady his nerves. In less than an hour he was back in -Nick’s study, though, and the door was locked. - -He was about to try his luck with the detective’s safe. - - - - - CHAPTER XIV. - - CRAY CALLS ON MRS. SIMPSON. - - -It was quite early in the afternoon when Jack Cray reached New Pelham, -and during his journey to that outlying suburb he had plenty of time -in which to think out a plan of action, using as a basis Gordon’s -suggestion that he should present himself as a fellow employee of the -missing Simpson. - -Cray walked briskly through the little town, having inquired the -direction in which Floral Avenue lay, and soon came to a steep hill. - -On the top of the hill the detective stopped to mop his brow, and as he -did so, his keen eyes took in every detail of the scene that lay before -him. There was not much of it—just a dozen or so houses strewn about at -haphazard in the midst of a maze of newly built roads. - -The latter ran here and there, not at right angles, but obliquely, in -sweeping curves, circles, and what not. The houses were all different -and distinctive in type, with not a single old-fashioned veranda to be -seen. In short, the settlement on the hill aimed to be a modern and -“artistic” suburban development, which, like most of its kind, was -still in the early stages of growth. - -Floral Avenue proved to be at the very end of the development, and -everything about it seemed newest and most unfinished. At the corner -of it stood a small house of two stories and a half, with dull-red -shingled roof and trimmings. - -Beside the door, in big, brass figures, was the number 31. - -That it was the only house on the street seemed to have made no -difference to the builder, who doubtless saw all the rest of the houses -from one to thirty and on indefinitely in his mind’s eye. - -No. 31 was very new, indeed. The lawn still plainly showed the seams -where the strips of turf met, and the gravel walks evidently had not -been rolled sufficiently, for they were scarred with footprints. - -Plainly, Jack Cray had not looked for just this sort of thing. He -paused at the gate and gave his red forehead a thoughtful mopping. - -“Looks as if Griswold didn’t know the whole story, or forgot this part -of it,” he speculated. “I got the impression that friend Simpson had -been living in New Pelham for a long time, but he certainly hasn’t been -living long in No. 31 Floral Avenue. Besides, this looks like a buying -proposition, not a renting one.” - -He ran his tongue along his lips, and a knowing look came into his eyes. - -“I’ll bet he squeezed that fund for a few thousands before he raked in -the whole bunch!” he muttered. “A little slick bookkeeping would have -done the trick while they were disbursing funds for the immediate needs -of the Hattontown sufferers. Some of it went into this house, if I’m -not mighty badly mistaken, and I have a hunch that some more of it went -to buy that electric machine he sported in Hattontown.” - -Without further hesitation, Cray opened the gate and started up the -front walk to an oddly shaped little stoop, which gave access to the -front door. A neatly dressed servant answered his summons. - -“Mrs. Simpson in?” Cray inquired. - -“Yes, sir,” the girl answered, looking doubtfully at him, “but I don’t -believe she will feel like seeing any one. She hasn’t been very well.” - -“I hope she will see me,” Cray declared. “Please say that I’m Mr. -Jones, from the _Chronicle and Observer_ office, and would like very -much to see her for a few minutes.” - -The girl was obviously impressed by this information, and, without -further argument, conducted him into one of the rooms off the reception -hall, and then hurried away to communicate with her mistress. - -With the natural instinct of the detective, Cray looked keenly about -him, and there was something that impressed him at once. - -The house he was in was by no means a large one, but the furniture -seemed to have come from a much smaller house. The diminutive hatrack -was positively lost in the square hall, the rugs were little more than -patches on the inlaid floor, and the stair carpet—which he could see -through the door—was shabby, and too narrow for the stairs. - -In short, though John Simpson had recently taken a larger house, he -had either been unable to furnish it adequately, or else had been too -hurried or careless to do so. - -“Mrs. Simpson will see you, sir,” the maid announced, when she -returned. “She will be down in a few minutes.” - -Presently, the fugitive’s wife descended the stairs. She was a small, -slight woman, plainly dressed, and apparently about forty years of age, -though her lined face and gray hair caused her to look much older than -many women do nowadays at that age. - -“You have news of my husband, Mr. Jones?” she asked eagerly, holding -her hands out in unconscious pleading, so that Cray could see that they -had been roughened by hard work. - -It seemed curious that the mistress of such a house should find it -necessary to do menial labor. - -“Not yet, Mrs. Simpson, I’m sorry to say,” Cray answered reluctantly. - -The woman sank into a chair and buried her face in her hands. There was -no longer the slightest room for doubt as to her innocence. Plainly, -she knew nothing whatever about the theft, although it might be that -some of her worry was due to fear that something of the sort might -account for her husband’s unprecedented absence. - -“It’s hard lines, Mrs. Simpson,” the detective said sympathetically. -“Your husband will turn up pretty soon, though, I’m sure.” - -The wife raised her head and hastily wiped her eyes. - -“You—you don’t think that he’s dead, then?” - -“Oh, no, nothing like that!” Cray hastened to assure her. - -“Oh, I do hope you are right, sir!” Mrs. Simpson said fervently. “If he -isn’t dead, though, or terribly injured and unable to communicate with -me, what can it possibly mean? Have they reported it to the police yet?” - -“You mean the office?” - -“Yes.” - -Cray shook his head. - -“That hasn’t seemed necessary—at least, that’s what the office seems to -think,” he answered. “Mr. Simpson isn’t in a hospital, though, you may -be sure.” - -“Then where is he? If they don’t do something at the office, I shall be -obliged to go to the police myself. I can’t understand why it wasn’t -done long ago. John has been gone days and days now, and he’s never -before stayed away from home unexpectedly for more than a few hours -without letting me know just where he was. I don’t understand it; I -don’t, I don’t!” - -“I know it’s tough, Mrs. Simpson,” Cray admitted awkwardly. “I wish -I had some good news for you, but I came, instead, to see if you -could not tell me something that might throw some light on it. We are -naturally very much interested at the office, and they thought I might -be able to find out what had happened. Will you help me?” - -“Of course, I’ll do anything I possibly can,” the distracted woman -assured him. “It’s very kind in them, and of you, to take all this -trouble. What is it you want to know, though?” - - - - - CHAPTER XV. - - SOME INTERESTING INFORMATION. - - -Mrs. Simpson asked the question bravely enough, but there was a certain -haunted expression in her eyes which suggested that some inkling of the -situation might have come to her. If so, however, her love and loyalty -had caused her to brush it aside. - -Jack Cray did not feel quite comfortable. It seemed like tempting the -woman to betray her own husband—was nothing less, in fact. That was -unavoidable, however. - -“Well, I hardly know what to ask,” he confessed, desiring to keep -her, if possible, from attaching any great importance to his line of -inquiry. “Something unusual is keeping Mr. Simpson away, that’s sure, -and I’ve got to try to find out what it is. I’m afraid I’m not much of -a detective”—he was mentally comparing himself with Nick Carter—“and, -therefore, the only thing I can think of doing just now is to ask a lot -of questions, and hope to hit upon something of interest before I get -through.” - -Mrs. Simpson did not look as if this appealed to her in all respects, -despite her great desire to have the mystery cleared up. - -“Of course, I’m not going to peddle what you tell me all over the -office,” Cray hastened to say, noting her look of doubt. “Besides, -you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. I’ll try not to seem -impertinent, though, or to tire you out, and remember it’s only because -we want to find your husband.” - -The woman nodded. “I understand,” she said. “Ask me anything you -please, and I’ll try to answer it.” - -“That’s the way to talk,” Cray commented, and then went on, after a -slight pause: “They generally began a long ways back when they’re -trying to dope out a thing like this. Suppose we try that method?” - -He was playing the part of the novice very well, and it was clear that -Mrs. Simpson had no suspicion of his real status. On the contrary, she -soon showed signs of impatience, as if she looked upon his questions -as boring and pointless. She continued to answer them politely and -truthfully, however, and that was all Cray asked. - -“You have lived here, in New Pelham, for some years, haven’t you, Mrs. -Simpson?” the detective inquired. - -“Yes, sir; ten years.” - -“But not in this same house?” - -“Oh, no, Mr. Jones. This has only been built a few months, and we were -hardly settled, when my husband disappeared. We lived right in the -village until recently.” - -“Mr. Simpson is buying this on installment, I suppose?” - -“Yes, sir. We have always rented until now, but he has long wanted to -have a place of his own, and just lately he decided that he could -afford it. It didn’t seem possible to me at first, but my husband’s -salary had just been raised, and they had given him quite a lump sum, I -believe, for the extra work entailed in handling this relief fund.” - -The woman’s eyes were on Cray now, and there was a troubled, searching -expression in them. - -He nodded—there did not seem to be anything else to do. “Naturally, -that would have made a difference,” he agreed, and was glad to see that -Mrs. Simpson looked relieved. Apparently she had feared that he might -deny the raise and the bonus. - -“What a pity this should have happened just after you had moved into -your new house!” he went on. “I hope Mr. Simpson hasn’t shouldered -more than he can carry. That might explain it, you know. Possibly he -has gone away in a fit of discouragement, after finding that the place -would cost him more than he could afford. Real-estate people sometimes -hold back essential facts, you know, in order to get a man’s signature -to a contract.” - -But he saw that that was a hardly less disturbing possibility in the -woman’s eyes, and hastened to turn her thoughts into another channel. - -“Or it may be loss of memory, or something of that sort,” he added. -“Your husband may be wandering about without knowing his own name.” - -Naturally, that suggestion met with no better reception, and Cray was -obliged to give it up. - -“There isn’t much use in speculating about it, though, until we get -hold of more facts,” he declared. “I suppose you picked out this house?” - -“No, I didn’t,” Mrs. Simpson said with some feeling. “I had nothing to -say about it.” - -“Is that so? I wouldn’t have thought Mr. Simpson would have gone ahead -in any such way as that.” - -“He never did before, Mr. Jones, but his heart seemed to be set on this -place, and I let him have his way. The openness seemed to appeal to him -very strongly. I’ve been living in a row for years, you know.” - -“Ah, the openness!” murmured Cray. “I can see how that might have -attracted him. Have you noticed anything unusual about your husband -lately, Mrs. Simpson? Has he seemed his normal self all the time?” - -His hostess seemed at a loss to know how to answer the question, to -judge by her hesitation and knitted brows. - -“If you think there may be anything the matter with his mind, Mr. -Jones, I’m sure you’re wrong,” she said, at length. “I haven’t noticed -anything of that sort at all, and I would have been sure to do so. I -can’t say that he has been himself, though. Buying this house on his -own responsibility, and in such a hurry would be enough to show that -he wasn’t. Besides that, though, he has been nervous and irritable, -but I laid that to the extra work he was doing. I’m afraid I shall -have to call him freakish, but nothing more. He seems to have suddenly -developed whims, and acquired rather expensive tastes. I’m afraid his -advancement at the office has turned his head somewhat.” - -“You are still referring to the house?” - -The woman hesitated again, but seemed to decide that frankness would be -best. - -“No,” she answered, “that isn’t all. He has got the automobile fever, -as well.” - - - - - CHAPTER XVI. - - THE TIRE PRINTS. - - -Jack Cray barely avoided a sudden start at that last remark of Mrs. -Simpson’s. He had been hoping for some light on the electric car, but -had thought it improbable that he would find any clew at the fugitive’s -home. - -“So he’s a fool at times, is he?” he thought. “Good enough! That ought -to make things easier.” - -“So the bug caught him, too, did it?” he asked aloud, with a careless -smile. “Did he buy a machine?” - -“Oh, no, sir! He rented one in the village, but his idea was to buy one -as soon as he could afford it. In fact, he has had a gate made in the -back fence, and one of those little, portable garages put up.” - -“He meant to enjoy himself, didn’t he?” Cray asked lightly, though -the role he was obliged to play was becoming more and more irksome. -“There’s a driveway at the side of the house, though, isn’t there? I -thought I noticed one as I came in.” - -“Yes, there is,” Mrs. Simpson agreed. “That was another queer thing. -I didn’t see how in the world John was going to afford a car—even a -secondhand one, as he talked of buying—but if he was going to have one, -I didn’t see why it should not be driven in from the front, since that -was what the drive was made for. He wouldn’t hear of it, though.” - -“Why not?” - -“He said he was going to drive his own car, and he didn’t want -everybody to be watching him and criticizing the way he was doing -it. He thought he would prefer to come in the back way, where there -wouldn’t be so many spectators. That was ridiculous, though, because -you can see for yourself that there are not many people living here on -the hill. Besides, he would soon have learned to drive well enough not -to mind if he were watched.” - -Cray nodded, but his heart was pounding. This was certainly a queer -whim on Simpson’s part, and the detective was sure there must be some -reason for it. In fact, he was inclined to believe that there was a -reason for the choice of the house itself, and that both had to do with -the fugitive’s crime. The thought was an exciting one, but Cray was at -a loss to explain Simpson’s actions. - -It might be well to see how the land lay, and the best way to do that, -he believed, was with Mrs. Simpson’s knowledge, rather than furtively. - -“I don’t want to alarm you too much,” he said, “but these things look -rather queer, you know. You seem sure that there wasn’t anything the -matter with Mr. Simpson’s mind, and yet you admit that he has done -some peculiar things. You’d rather think that his mind was temporarily -clouded, wouldn’t you, than that he was dead, or had deliberately left -you in the lurch?” - -“Of course,” Mrs. Simpson agreed. “It would be terrible, -though—terrible!” - -“So are the other possibilities,” Cray pointed out. “Let’s work along -this line—for a while. Would you mind letting me see this gate and -garage you speak of?” - -“No, certainly not,” the woman said, but it was plain that she thought -the proceeding a senseless one. “I’ll show you.” - -The lot was perhaps sixty feet wide, and one hundred and fifty feet -deep, possibly more. The grass had not yet obtained a fair start, and -the shrubs and trees were very small, although they had evidently been -planted the season before. - -The gravel drive ran along one side of the lot, from front to rear, and -beside it, close to the rear fence, was the little, portable garage of -which Mrs. Simpson had spoken. It was built of metal, as a precaution -against fire, and when the detective tried the door, he found it locked. - -“Your husband has the key, I suppose?” he said. - -“Yes, sir.” - -Cray had noted the graveled surface of the drive on his way from the -house, and had seen that it had not been used. There were footprints on -the soft surface, but no evidence of tires. - -“The garage has never been used, I suppose?” Cray inquired. - -“Oh, no, Mr. Jones.” - -“And no car has been driven into the yard?” - -“No, sir.” - -There was no doubt that she was telling the truth, so far as she was -aware, but Cray had evidence that she was mistaken. To be sure, no -car had been driven in from the front, but it was plain that one had -entered the yard through the new back gate. - -Evidently the machine had not entered the garage, but had halted in -front of it, and had then been backed out again. The marks were not -very recent, however, and at least one rain had fallen since they were -made. - -Cray walked on to the rear gate and peered over. There was a newly -graded road beyond, and in its surface were the marks of other -tires—or, rather, the marks of the same tires repeated several times, -a number of sets of them being more recent than those in the yard. And -all were made by tires of the sort in common use on electric machines. - -“Been here often,” Cray concluded. “Hasn’t been in the yard but once, -but has come as far as the gate on a number of occasions. Seems to have -been undecided about something, or had cold feet. What’s more, unless -I’m ’way off the track, that machine has been here not later than night -before last, and those freshest marks look suspiciously as if they were -made last night.” - -He actually forgot Mrs. Simpson for the time being, and, opening the -gate, passed through. He had seen something which interested him, the -print of a rather small shoe in the soft ground just beyond the gate, -where one would naturally have stood to open the gate from the outside. - -The detective took a steel tape line from his pocket, and carefully -measured the footprint. Incidentally, he gave the tire marks a close -examination. - -Soon he straightened up and looked about him. In doing so, he was more -struck than ever with the isolation of the Simpson house. The spot -where they stood was not overlooked by any other residence. There was -another house within two or three hundred yards, to be sure, but it -presented a blank wall on that side, evidently being designed to stand -close to another one, which was yet to be built. - -“Supposing the fellow had any motive to do it, he could come here in a -noiseless electric at the dead of night, with lights turned off, and -nobody would be the wiser,” Cray told himself. “And he could reach the -hill here without passing through the center of the village itself.” - -At that point, however, he glanced up at the rear of the Simpson house. - -“How about his wife, though?” he went on to himself. “She evidently -isn’t wise to any such thing, and yet there are plenty of windows here, -at the rear—and not very far from the garage, either.” - -That brought him back, and he rather awkwardly entered the yard, -fearing that he might have betrayed curiosity of an altogether too -professional character. - -“A fellow can’t help trying to act like a detective, I guess, when he’s -put on such a job like this,” he said, with a sheepish grin. “I see -right now that I’m not in the same class with Nick Carter. Suppose I’ll -have to try to keep up the bluff just the same, and ask some more fool -questions—if you are not ready to throw me out.” - -“Of course not, Mr. Jones,” the poor little woman assured him. “I only -wish——” - -The detective nodded. “I wish, too, that I could find him for you, Mrs. -Simpson,” he said sincerely, and added, under his breath, “and for you -alone.” - -“May be I will—who knows?” he went on, gazing thoughtfully about. “By -the way, where do you sleep, if I may ask? At the back of the house?” - - - - - CHAPTER XVII. - - CRAY WIRES FOR “CARTER.” - - -It is not to be wondered at that Mrs. Simpson looked surprised at a -question which appeared so irrelevant. - -“Yes, I do,” she answered, “but I don’t see what in the world that has -to do with Mr. Simpson’s absence.” - -“Nothing, of course,” was the prompt response. “I’m trying to get at -something else, Mrs. Simpson—I’m afraid I can’t tell you just what at -present. Are you a light sleeper?” - -“Yes, very.” - -“I suppose your room is on the second floor, there, where those double -windows are?” - -“Yes, sir.” - -“And the windows are open these nights?” - -“Of course—all of them. It has been very warm, you know.” - -“Was that the room you originally planned to occupy?” - -Mrs. Simpson looked amazed. - -“Why, no, it wasn’t,” she confessed. “Naturally, the best bedroom is -supposed to be at the front of the house. It has a big bay window, -and gets the air from three sides. It’s so big, though, and seemed so -lonesome after Mr. Simpson was gone, that I changed to this back one -after the first night. But I don’t understand what’s in your mind, Mr. -Jones.” - -“Don’t try to, Mrs. Simpson,” he advised. “I have an idea, but I’m not -free to share it yet, even with you. That’s all I care to look at here, -Mrs. Simpson; let’s go back to the house.” - -They went around to the front door, and the woman invited him in again -somewhat reluctantly. He would have liked to get hold of a pair of -Simpson’s shoes, but he did not dare ask that, feeling sure that she -would smell a rat if he did. - -“No, thanks,” he said. “I have imposed on you too much already.” - -He paused for a moment, and went on, picking his words carefully. - -“I suppose you haven’t got a very good opinion of my abilities along -this line, Mrs. Simpson?” he said deprecatingly. “Mr. Griswold himself -has thought fit to send me here, and I have an idea or two that I would -like to test. It’s too soon to tell you what I believe, but I think I -have a clew to your husband’s behavior. Will you help me to find out -whether it’s good for anything, or not?” - -“Of course, I will—I’ll do anything I can.” - -“Then—it sounds like a mystery thriller, but the explanation is very -simple—will you sleep in the front room for a night or two, and see -that all the windows at the back are closed and dark?” - -Mrs. Simpson looked at him as if she thought he had lost his senses, -but she reluctantly agreed to do as he asked. - -“Thanks ever so much,” Cray said uncomfortably. “I know how it sounds, -but I have a notion that it will help.” - -And, after a few more words, he left the house, being careful, however, -to caution Mrs. Simpson to say nothing to any one concerning his -peculiar request, or the trend of his inquiries. - -Incidentally, he had secured from her the name of the garage at which -Simpson had rented the car—an electric. - -The ex-police detective’s manner, as he strode down the hill, was a -very thoughtful one, but there was something triumphant about the swing -of his shoulders and the carriage of his massive head. - -In his opinion, he had done a good day’s work. Certainly, he had made -some very curious discoveries, and if his theory were anywhere near -correct, he had hopes of solving the mystery—and, incidentally, of -capturing John Simpson, and recovering a large share of the stolen -gold—before many hours had passed. - -And the best of it was that he had done everything single-handed. To be -sure, his friend Carter had advised his going to New Pelham first of -all, but, beyond that, the great detective had had nothing to do with -the affair, thus far. - -“Carter will be sorry he didn’t get into the game at the start,” Cray -told himself, with a satisfied grin. “If this thing goes through, as I -hope it will, I’ll cop about all the credit there is. Too bad I called -Carter in at all. If I had known what a cinch it was going to be, you -can bet I would have handled it alone.” - -He and Nick were great friends, but Cray saw no reason to hide his own -light under a bushel for that reason. On the other hand, he well knew -that Nick would rejoice in his success, and decline to take any credit -or pay that did not rightfully belong to him. - -He would have been less certain of the outcome, however, had he -suspected that he was not dealing with Nick Carter at all, but with one -of the most unscrupulous criminals in the country. - -Cray found the garage easily enough, and lost no time getting down to -business. - -“Friend of mine, Mr. Simpson, rented a car here,” he said. “An -electric. It looks pretty good to me. Is it still for hire?” - -“No, sir,” the owner of the garage answered. “Didn’t you know I sold it -to Mr. Simpson nearly a week ago?” - -“The deuce you did!” ejaculated Cray. “That’s a new one on me. Haven’t -seen Simpson lately.” - -“Well, he liked the machine so much that he took it, after having it -out several times. I’ve got other cars here for sale, but that was the -only electric. There isn’t very much demand for them, you know.” - -“It was an electric I wanted,” Cray told him, with apparent regret. -“Like them quiet.” - -“That’s what Mr. Simpson said,” the garage owner vouchsafed. “They may -be quiet enough, but I like something a little faster and bigger. I’ve -got a dandy Wellington here, sir, as good as new, that I’ll sell you -for——” - -“Nothing doing,” Cray interrupted. “Wife has set her heart on an -electric, and you know what that means. Thanks just the same, though.” - -They exchanged meaning glances, and Cray left the garage. As he walked -along the main street, he whistled softly, but very cheerfully. The -garage man’s hint as to Simpson’s reason for purchasing an electric car -had served to strengthen his suspicions. The more he thought about it, -the more certain he became that he was right, and the more eager he was -to lay his amazing theory before Nick Carter. - -He desired the great detective’s approval, and his cooperation in -the last dramatic scene, which he hoped would take place that night. -But again there would have been a fly in his honey had he known -that another had arrived at practically the same conclusion by pure -reasoning, and that that other was not Nick Carter, but an impostor and -ex-convict, who was posing in Nick’s place. - -Perhaps it is just as well that Jack Cray did not know that fact when -he proceeded to the combined railroad station and telegraph office, and -wrote out the following message: - - “NICHOLAS CARTER—_Madison Avenue, New York_: Come to New Pelham by - 7:30 train this evening. Important. Will meet you.” - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII. - - GORDON TACKLES NICK’S SAFE. - - -Green-eye Gordon stood looking at the safe that was built into the wall -of Nick’s study, and, as he stared at it, his eyes were very greedy in -expression. - -For one thing, he felt certain that the famous detective kept money -there—very likely a large sum—for, in Nick’s profession, it is often -essential to lay one’s hands on plenty of cash at very short notice. -Expensive journeys have to be undertaken on little warning, often at -hours when the banks are closed, for instance, and there are many other -ways in which ready money comes in handy. It remained to be seen, of -course, whether the detective’s absence had made any difference in this -respect. - -This, however, was but a very small item in Gordon’s expectations. - -As we have seen, he was after very much bigger game, in the shape of -the secret records of Nick’s most important cases, records which he -hoped would be the means of netting him a very much larger sum than -that represented by the missing relief fund. - -The rascal’s mouth fairly watered now as he thought of the -possibilities. The possession of the papers he desired would mean a -chance of blackmail, such as the world had never known. Until now, -these papers had been perfectly safe in Nick Carter’s possession, but -should they tail into Gordon’s hands, they would suddenly acquire a -destructive power far more terrible than that of dynamite. - -What a prospect! Aside from the enormous advantage which he expected to -reap from it, Green Eye could conceive of no more effective retaliation -for Nick’s part in sending him to prison. - -“A fool would only think of killing Carter, or at most, of giving him a -taste of physical torture,” thought the criminal. “But I can understand -his point of view, and I know that the loss of such papers—and the use -I shall make of them—will be infinitely worse than death itself in his -eyes.” - -Gordon started as he heard the front door open, and moved across the -room. He felt sure that it was Mrs. Peters returning from her afternoon -constitutional, and he wished to give her an order, but he paused, as -he remembered the police dog. It would be better to have Prince out of -the way before he sent for the housekeeper. - -He waited ten minutes, therefore, before ringing the bell, and -presently Mrs. Peters arrived, somewhat out of breath. - -“If any one calls, say that I’m away,” the masquerader said sharply. -“On no account am I to be disturbed by any one—by any one, mind you. If -Joseph is about, tell him so, too.” - -“Very well, sir,” Mrs. Peters answered. “Is that all?” - -“Yes.” - -Despite Green Eye’s eagerness to get at the safe, he remembered -Prince’s alarming behavior, and narrowly watched the housekeeper’s -face. He felt sure she could not deceive him. If she had the slightest -suspicion that all was not as it should be, her face and manner would -be sure to reveal the fact. - -“No, she hasn’t tumbled to me,” he assured himself, as Mrs. Peters -left the room. “It was not to be supposed that she would, but she -must have thought the beast’s actions very peculiar. Thank Heaven, -all of Carter’s assistants are away. I’ll have to keep the butler at -a distance, too, as much as possible. I don’t believe he’s capable of -seeing through the deception, but he’s a man, and he’s been with Carter -for a good while. His eyes may be sharper than I think.” - -He turned the key in the lock hurriedly, took off his coat, and began -to roll up his sleeves. - -“Now, where, does he keep the outfit?” he muttered, his pale, keen eyes -darting about the room. - -With quick steps he crossed to the cabinet and tried that, but, -obviously, he did not find there what he sought, for he turned away -from it with a snarl of impatience. - -The desk was the next thing he examined, but it was not until he had -picked the lock of one of the hitherto unopened drawers that he found -what he sought—a small black bag. - -When he had opened the latter, his lips curled into an ugly grin. - -“What a burglar he would have made,” he muttered, as he emptied the -contents of the bag carefully on the floor in front of the safe. - -There were bits of various sizes, ordinary drills and wheel drills, -jimmies, glass cutters, skeleton keys, acids—in fact, everything that -goes to make up the outfit of the most up-to-date burglar. - -Green-eye Gordon turned them over caressingly, but it was not for long -that he was idle. He knelt before the safe, his eyes roving over it at -close range. Soon he smiled with satisfaction. - -It was scarcely as modern a safe as he would have expected Nick Carter -to possess, but that was probably because the last thing in the world -the famous detective expected was a burglary in his own house. - -Among other accomplishments, most of which had brought him into -conflict with the law, Ernest Gordon numbered safe-cracking, and, -as he knelt before the massive steel door, with its shining nickel -fittings, he had no doubt that he would be able to master this one in a -comparatively short time. - -After a brief examination of the lock, to make sure that he could not -open the combination by ear, the masquerader picked up the powerful -wheel drill, fitted a bit to it, and, pressing the other end against -his stomach, set to work. - -At first the bit seemed to make little impression upon the specially -hardened metal, but presently a little hole appeared, and grew deeper -and deeper as Gordon kept the wheel in motion. - -For the time being, the criminal forgot the relief fund that he hoped -to appropriate, forgot even the great, unique haul he counted on -obtaining from that very safe, and was lost in the joy of being at his -old trade again, and handling the old, familiar tools with undiminished -skill. - -Gh-r-rh! - -Gordon paused to squirt oil into the deepening hole, as the note of the -revolving bit changed and grew harsher. It was working smoothly again -after a moment, and the particles of metal were rapidly accumulating. - -Thus the work went on. One hole was sunk to the required depth, then -another, and finally, after various deft operations, the inner secrets -of the lock were disclosed, and the thick door swung back on noiseless -hinges. - -A little chuckle of satisfaction sounded as the door began to move, -but, by the time it was wide open, a snarl of surprise and rage burst -from the criminal’s lips. - - - - - CHAPTER XIX. - - AN UNTIMELY KNOCK. - - -Despite the opening of the door, the interior of the safe did not -meet Gordon’s eye, as he naturally had anticipated. Instead, he found -himself confronted by a second door. - -Worse still, this second door appeared to be even more formidable than -the first. - -Doubtless, it was not nearly so thick, of course, but the trouble was -that it presented an absolutely unbroken surface. In other words, there -was no knob on it, no combination, no handle, nothing to indicate how -it opened, or where the lock was. - -It might open from left to right, or right to left—or from top to -bottom, or bottom to top, for that matter. Moreover, it was only after -a close and most careful scrutiny that it was possible for Green Eye to -tell where the door ended, and the rest of the safe began, so tiny was -the crack about it. - -“Of all the infernal luck!” muttered the criminal. “A trick door, -evidently. Of course, I could blow it open, if I wanted to do that, -but it isn’t safe to use explosives with a house full of servants. And -how in thunder am I to know where the cursed lock is, if there are no -outward signs of it? It may be on one side, or on the other, high or -low. Have I got to keep on drilling holes at random until I stumble -upon it?” - -It was all he could do to keep from wrecking the study in his rage. He -had a temper, and he knew it was at white heat, and threatening to boil -over at any moment. - -“This is the limit,” he thought. “For all I know, there may be no -regular lock at all. Instead, there may be a mechanism somewhere else, -operating a series of bolts which can be shot into the door from all -sides. I might have known that any safe Carter would have would not -be as easy to crack as this one seemed to be. Curse him! I wish I had -him here right now! I’d make him open this safe for me, or tear him to -pieces with my bare hands!” - -Much must be allowed for exaggeration in the case of an angry man. If -Nick Carter could have appeared at that moment, it is probable that the -outcome would have been by no means the one Green Eye imagined. - -After storming up and down the room a few times, Gordon quieted down -a little and returned to the safe. It had occurred to him that in the -absence of anything like a knob or handle, there must be a secret -spring or something of that sort, that was pressed in order to set the -mechanism in motion, and open the inner door. - -If he could find that, all would be well. - -It seemed like a hopeless task, but Green Eye was master of himself -again, and prepared to exercise the greatest care and perseverance. - -First, he returned Nick’s tools to the little black bag, and restored -it to the drawer, after which he carefully removed all traces of his -work, except those which permanently disfigured the outer door, and -told of the violation of its lock. - -Even these he cleverly hid by means of a sort of wax, which he found in -Nick’s laboratory, and which he coated over with ink after the holes -had been plugged. - -He did not expect to use the tools again, if he could help it, and he -wished to clear the telltale litter away before doing anything else, so -that if he were interrupted, in spite of his injunctions, he could open -the door without too great delay. - -Another trip to the detective’s desk brought to light a powerful -magnifying glass. Armed with this, the rascal returned to the safe and -began a systematic inspection of its surfaces, inward and outward, so -far as he could gain access to them. - -He was looking for some place where the enamel had been worn off by the -frequent pressure by fingers, or where finger marks had been left in -such a way as to indicate repeated pressures. - -He began just beyond the edge of the narrow door, and worked his way -completely around it, but without success. - -“I didn’t think I’d find it there,” he told himself, “but I had to make -sure first.” - -He then extended his area of search, taking in the jambs of the outer -door, and so working his way out to the exterior of the safe. - -He did not waste time over the inside of the outer door, for his -common sense told him that there could be no connection between that -and the rest of the safe, except through the hinges, which were not -likely to conceal any hidden wiring or mechanical connection. - -It was a long and tedious search. Most men would have given up in the -first few minutes, or at the end of an hour, but not so Green-eye -Gordon. There was an ugly expression on his face, and his nerves were -on edge, but he kept on with a dogged determination, scrutinizing the -enameled surface of the safe inch by inch, and going over it not once, -but many times. - -The fact that the safe was set into the wall gave him a comparatively -small surface to cover, and seemed to promise success without any great -effort, but the promise was without foundation. - -Nevertheless, the scoundrel’s persistence was finally rewarded. - -He located the secret spring, but did so purely by accident, not from -any help which his keen eyes, or Nick’s powerful magnifying glass gave -him. - -The reason was that the spring was located in a comparatively -inaccessible place, behind one of the legs of the safe. - -Gordon had lain down again and again, and, with the help of a pocket -flash light and the magnifying glass, had done his best to peer under -the low safe and behind the two squat little legs at the front. He had -met with very little success, but finally, having failed to find what -he sought elsewhere, he had begun feeling about at random. - -In this way, just behind the right leg, and in the bottom of the safe, -he had happened upon a small, yielding surface, and his heart had -bounded as he pressed it upward. - -To his delight, the inner door began to open noiselessly. -Simultaneously, the impostor’s heart stopped. - -Some one had knocked at the door! - - - - - CHAPTER XX. - - THE BLACKMAILER’S SUPREME HAUL. - - -For a moment that seemed an eternity, Ernest Gordon crouched as if -petrified, his eyes turned wildly to the door. - -Had he locked it? - -Of course he had, but he could not be sure of it at that moment, -and, even if it were locked, what beastly mischance had brought an -interruption just then? - -Supposing it were Carter himself, or one of his assistants? - -The rascal’s clammy hands were cold, and his knees threatened to -collapse under him. - -Gritting his teeth, however, and with a look of contempt for his own -weakness, he pushed the inner door back, swung the other one around -until it was only slightly ajar, and, after a hasty glance about to -make sure that all else was in order, strode to the door. - -“What is it?” he called harshly. - -Even at the moment of utterance he was conscious that the voice bore -little resemblance to that of the man he was impersonating. - -The reply, to his relief, was in the butler’s deferential tones. - -“Telegram, sir,” Joseph announced. “I’m sorry to disturb you, but I -thought you probably would like to have it at once.” - -“That’s all right,” Gordon said, taking care this time to imitate -Nick’s voice accurately. - -He unlocked the door and opened it a foot or so. - -“Thanks, Joseph,” he said, taking the telegram from the butler’s silver -salver, and closing the door again, but not locking it. - -He knew that the hand he had extended was grimy, and that a locked door -was probably a very unusual phenomenon, but he did not make the mistake -of offering any explanation. That would have been more suspicious still. - -“If he noticed my hand, he’ll think I’ve been working in the -laboratory,” he assured himself. “As for the door, that’s none of his -business. A man doesn’t have to do the same things in the same way year -after year.” - -He hastily tore open the yellow envelope, and found within Jack Cray’s -message from New Pelham, asking him to come on the seven-thirty train. - -Gordon positively chuckled as he finished reading the telegram. - -“He’s hit upon something big already, or thinks he has, at any rate,” -he decided. “Let’s hope his impression isn’t an erroneous one, and that -my dear Carter’s friend Jack is going to lead me to a carload of gold -pieces. I’ll be there, Cray, you may be sure.” - -Now that Joseph had gone away, Green Eye quietly relocked the door, -and, thrusting the telegram into his pocket, hurried back to the safe. - -He swung the ponderous outer door to the right, and clamping his -fingers over the right-hand edge of the knobless door within, he drew -it to the left. - -He had been careful not to push it completely shut before going to the -door, for he feared that he might not be able to open it again. - -Now open to his eyes lay the interior of the safe. - -Eagerly he snatched open one of the drawers, and gave a little grunt -of satisfaction when he found a couple of reasonably thick bundles of -paper money. When the bundles were withdrawn, he caught a glimpse of -several familiar-looking little packages, round, slender, and wrapped -in manila paper. - -“Gold, just as it came from the bank!” he muttered, snatching up one of -the packages and tearing off the end of the wrapping. - -A stack of ten-dollar gold pieces was revealed. - -“This will do very nicely for current expenses,” Green Eye murmured, -with a smile. “Now for the rest, though.” - -He carried the money over to the table, and thrust notes and gold into -the pockets of the coat he had taken off before he set to work, after -which he returned to the safe and began his search for Nick’s precious -secrets. - -Packet after packet he drew out, chuckling at the inscriptions on some -of them, then grimy with his work, and, still in his shirt sleeves, -he set out to examine the records, his chair drawn up to the table, -his fingers shaking with the excitement that possessed him. Once he -stopped, and mechanically lighted a cigar, but it was soon forgotten, -and went out, after which the end of it was chewed to a pulp. - -The papers he unearthed were all he hoped they would be. - -There, before him, were the histories of scores of the most important -cases that Nick Carter had handled. Many of them, to be sure, were of -such a nature that they afforded no opportunities for blackmail, but -there were quite a number which, even to a casual glance, revealed -alluring possibilities in that direction. - -Gordon’s pale eyes glittered with greed as he read names and dates, -and all the precise array of facts which had been accumulated by the -painstaking labors of the great detective and his staff. - -“It’s a gold mine, nothing else!” the master rascal told himself, his -hands trembling with eagerness. “If I have time to work it as it ought -to be worked, I can pull down a quarter of a million—half a million!” - -His enthusiasm carried him away into the region of fairy possibilities, -where a rosy light played over everything. He did not realize how -important was that little word “if” which he had passed over so lightly. - -This was just the sort of thing that appealed to him most, this -bleeding of those who could much better afford to pay large sums in -hush money than to have gossip busy with their names. - -He made a selection of the records that appealed to him most at first -glance, then bundled the others up carefully and thrust them back into -the safe. - -“This will be all I will need,” he told himself; “for the present, at -least.” - -Therefore, he risked closing the inner door of the safe, but, lest -there should be any uncertainty about it, he made sure that he could -open it later. After that he closed the outer door, but, of course, did -not lock it, for he had put the locking mechanism out of commission. - -Thanks to his care in covering up his traces, however, it was not -likely that any ordinary eyes would detect the fact that the safe had -been violated, and, to further minimize the possibility, he placed a -chair with its back against the safe door. - -Leaving the bundle of documents in plain sight of the desk, he rang for -Joseph. - -“I shall want dinner by six-thirty to-night, Joseph,” he said. - -“Very good, sir,” the butler replied. “Any special orders?” - -“No, no—the usual thing.” - -After the butler had departed, Green Eye hastily bathed and changed his -clothing, after which he seated himself at the desk, and began going -through the papers in a more careful way, stopping to consider their -possibilities now and then, or to jot down a note. - -Dinner was announced long before he expected it, and, after keeping -it waiting for ten minutes or more, he rose, stretched himself, and, -with a little hesitation, thrust all of the papers into his pockets, to -which he had already transferred the stolen money. - -“For all I know, I may never return here,” he told himself. “It isn’t -likely that Cray has located Simpson’s treasure chest, but if he has, -the situation will call for immediate action on my part—and the worthy -Cray and I will hardly be friends afterward, if he survives. He’ll know -I’m not Carter if I stick him up for the eighty thou, and that means -that I’ll have to make myself scarce, and be quick about it.” - - - - - CHAPTER XXI. - - THE MASQUERADER JOINS CRAY. - - -Green-eye Gordon, Nick Carter’s double for the time being, did full -justice to the excellent dinner that he found ready for him when he -reported to the detective’s dining room. - -To have asked for special dishes would have been a risky thing to do, -and even if he had had an active dislike for anything that was served -to him, he had sufficient self-control to conceal that fact. - -To be sure, he would have preferred other things, and his craving for -drink often nearly overmastered him, but he succeeded in fighting it -down—at any rate, during the hours he spent under the eyes of Nick’s -servants. - -It was a few minutes after seven when one of the detective’s cars -drew up at the curb, and Danny Maloney, Nick’s chauffeur, honked an -announcement of the fact. - -The supposed Nick Carter left the table, explored his pockets for the -last time, to make sure that his loot—including the automatic—was all -in his possession, and then went out to the machine. - -He was more afraid of Danny, than any of the rest, for the chauffeur’s -eyes were very keen, and he had had more than a taste of detective work -on the various occasions when he had jumped in and helped out in a -crisis. Nevertheless, the impostor felt that he could not afford to do -too many unusual things, and he had sent for Danny instead of calling a -taxi. - -“I’ll be behind the fellow as soon as I get into the machine,” he -mused. “He’ll only see me for a few minutes. Therefore, as I’ve already -stood Jack Cray’s scrutiny, and am going to invite it again, I ought -not to have any trouble with this fellow.” - -He did not, of course. Danny had no reason to doubt that his chief had -returned unexpectedly, and therefore, it did not occur to him to give -more than a passing glance. - -Gordon was dropped at the station in plenty of time to catch the -seven-thirty for New Pelham, a small suburban place a few miles to the -north, in Westchester County. Both the motor car and the train afforded -opportunity for very agreeable day-dreams connected with the papers in -the scoundrel’s pocket, and by the time he stepped from the train at -the village he had persuaded himself that a big fortune was as good as -within his grasp, and that there could be no possible hitch. - -It is not to be wondered at that his hopes ran high, for certainly his -daring had carried everything before it, thus far. - -High tide is invariably followed by low, however, and although the ebb -might not set in for some time in Green Eye’s case, it was sure to come -sooner or later. For wrongdoing is its own worst enemy, and devours its -own children. - -Jack Cray was waiting on the platform when Gordon alighted at New -Pelham, and it was plain from the ex-police detective’s bearing that he -had had news of unusual importance to communicate. - -“You have hit upon something, I see,” Green Eye remarked in Nick’s -quiet tones. - -“Cleared up the whole thing, I hope,” Cray assured him excitedly. -“Let’s stroll in this direction—there are not many houses, and we need -not be afraid of being overheard.” - -“Lead the way,” the masquerader agreed, adding, when they had left -the platform behind: “I’m curious to hear what you have dug up, Cray. -Before you begin, though, I’d like to give you a few of the results I -have arrived at in my study since you left me. It will be interesting -to see how near they come to your findings.” - -He was proud of the way he had analyzed the matter, and could not -resist the temptation to parade his results. - -“Go ahead,” invited Cray in an expectant tone. - -He was thinking of Nick’s achievements in that line, and looked for -something out of the ordinary. To be sure, his famous friend might -“take the wind out of his sails,” as had often been the case in the -past, but Jack’s admiration was sincere enough to stand even that test. - -The fact that he was not disappointed in this instance is perhaps the -most remarkable tribute that could be paid to Gordon’s intelligence. - -“Just a word or two, then,” Green Eye said in a self-satisfied tone -that was far from characteristic of the man he was impersonating. “In -the first place, I’ve made up my mind that there’s no use in looking -for Simpson in New England. The trail starts there, of course, but it -ends here.” - -“Here!” echoed Cray in amazement. “How the dickens did you hit upon -that?” - -Gordon had not meant the word to be taken quite so literally. He felt -sure that the fugitive had headed for New York, or some place in the -immediate neighborhood, and he was inclined to believe that he was -lurking in the vicinity of New Pelham, but he was prepared to shift his -ground, if necessary. - -Now he realized, as a result of Cray’s amazing question, that he was on -the right track. Furthermore, that realization gave him confidence, and -helped him to fit in the rest. - -“Oh, I’ve just arrived at it,” he said carelessly, determined to use -his companion’s unconscious tip for all it was worth. “He has been back -in New Pelham, and will be again, if he isn’t at this moment. More than -that, I have a suspicion that he has been lurking about his own house.” - -“For the love of Mike!” Cray breathed, looking his admiration as they -strolled through the gathering dusk. “You sure are a wizard!” - -“Not a bit of it. I simply use my reason, and when I find two and two, -I don’t hesitate to put them together, knowing that the result is bound -to be four.” - -“But what in thunder led you to think that the fellow would come -back here—especially that he would dare to return to his own place?” -demanded Jack. - -“I called up Griswold and learned that he had never lived in New -England, and had spent most of his brief vacations here at home, or out -in the Middle West. That helped to give me a start, and I sized Simpson -up as a man with some clever ideas, but probably timid and unacquainted -with the world in many respects. I reasoned that such a man might -conceive the idea of outwitting his enemies by hiding his stealings -in the last place which would be likely to be searched—his own—and -once thought of, I felt sure he would decide on it for other reasons. -Because he was essentially a home body, for instance. Also, because he -was not in touch with crooks, and wouldn’t wish to trust any one with -his secret. - -“Of course,” he admitted, “it wasn’t all reasoning—some of it was -intuition, or plain hunch. His use of an electric machine, though, went -far to convince me that I had the right idea. Its only advantage seemed -to be its silence, and I couldn’t imagine what good silence would do -him, unless he expected to hide the gold somewhere, without those in -the immediate neighborhood being aware of it. The bulk of the stuff, -you see, made it necessary to use a vehicle of some sort to transport -it. Well, it naturally occurred to me that the person he would least -desire to know anything about it was his wife.” - -All the time thinking, or seeming to do so, he was keeping one eye on -Cray, and thus he was able to tell that he was not going astray. - -“In short,” he concluded, “the more I thought about it, the more -certain I became that the chap had hidden the stuff somewhere within -earshot of his own house. Of course, though, I didn’t attempt to carry -the theory any further. That would have been a waste of time. Let’s -hear, though, what you have discovered.” - - - - - CHAPTER XXII. - - PLANS FOR THE NIGHT. - - -The two men had some hours to kill, for they could not expect anything -to happen before midnight, at least, although they realized that it -would be well to be on the scene before that. - -Mrs. Simpson would in all probability retire at ten or eleven o’clock, -and as Simpson could—and probably did—approach the hill from the other -direction without coming through the village, he might appear sooner -than they expected. - -Therefore, Jack Cray did not hurry himself when the time came for -him to report his findings. They walked to the end of the street and -turned, heading back toward the center of the village, while Cray -expressed his amazement at his companion’s reasoning. - -That tribute having been paid, he got down to business. - -“It’s amazing,” he said. “Doesn’t leave me much to boast of. I’ve got -some facts, though, and even you need facts to put under your theories.” - -He went on to describe his call at the Simpson residence, and the -various things which had interested him—the new house, the misfit -furniture, the facts that Simpson himself had chosen the place, the -hasty move, the fugitive’s sudden interest in motor cars, his refusal -to use the drive from the front, and so on, until the subject of the -tire tracks was reached. - -“Very interesting,” murmured Gordon. “The garage is metal, you say, -and was locked? You think, then, that the stuff is hidden there—that -Simpson bought the little, portable building for that purpose, not to -use it in the ordinary way?” - -“That’s the way it strikes me,” Cray answered. “A place like that -doesn’t seem very safe for such a purpose, but nobody would think it -contained anything of any particular value. Besides, it’s far enough -from the house to make an occasional visit sufficiently safe, even in -a car—providing the car is noiseless—and the neighbors wouldn’t be -any the wiser. Mrs. Simpson wouldn’t have any interest in the garage, -because she thinks it’s empty.” - -“I see. Just how do you explain these different sets of tire marks, -however? Your idea is, as I understand it, that the one set which you -found in the yard itself in front of the garage doors was made several -nights together, when Simpson brought the stuff there and unloaded it?” - -“Sure.” - -“Then how about the others which seemed to show that he has been there -more than once since then, but hasn’t driven the car in?” - -“Those other prints are the most interesting of the whole lot to me,” -Cray returned eagerly. “It was because of them that I asked the woman -where she slept, and all that. Don’t you see? This is the way I dope -it out. He left the money the first time, and maybe, in his excitement, -he didn’t keep any back, or else he’s been spending more freely than he -expected. At any rate, it looks to me as if he wants more, or maybe the -stuff is drawing him like a magnet, and he’s coming back to gloat over -it. - -“But right there, friend wife steps in and interferes without knowing -it. He thought he had everything fixed with her sleeping at the front -of the house and the garage far enough away so that she could sleep -with one eye open, if she wanted to, without hearing him. Evidently, -though, the very night after he banked the stuff in the garage, she -upset all his calculations by deciding to sleep in that back room. -Got the idea? It has three big windows right in a row, and as the -nights have been warm, she has had them all open. He must have seen -those open windows the next time he came, and evidently he guessed -what they meant. Anyhow, he got cold feet, and didn’t dare sneak up to -the garage, for fear she would hear him and get up. That’s why he has -fiddled around and gone off again, and that’s why I asked her to oblige -me by sleeping in the front room for a night or two.” - -The big man chuckled. - -“I suppose she thought I was crazy,” he went on, “but I can’t help -that. I wasn’t exactly in a position to shine in her eyes, but if she -does what I ask her to, and shuts those back windows, I shall be very -much disappointed if we don’t catch our man red-handed to-night.” - -“You think he’ll turn up again, do you, and that if he finds the coast -clear, he’ll lose no time in getting next to the gold?” - -“That’s the ticket.” - -Gordon was silent for a minute or two. - -“Well, I certainly hope you are right, Jack,” he said at length. “And -you must be, I think, for it isn’t likely that we would both arrive at -the same point by totally different routes unless there was something -in it. We’ll put it to the test, at any rate, and if he doesn’t show -up by two or three o’clock, we’ll burrow under one side of the garage -and see what we can find. That will make it unnecessary to tamper with -the lock, and we can fix things so he’ll never know that anybody has -entered the place. Then, after removing the stuff, if we find it, we -can watch the empty garage to-morrow night, and nab him if he puts in -an appearance.” - -Cray agreed to this plan, and informed Gordon that there was a pile of -lumber within a few feet of the garage. - -“We can hide behind that,” he said, “and wait for him. We’ll be in -plain sight from the back windows of the house, to be sure, and Mrs. -Simpson may spoil everything if she peeks. Let’s hope, though, that she -obeys orders and goes to bed without question.” - - - - - CHAPTER XXIII. - - THE WATCHERS MAKE THEMSELVES SCARCE. - - -When Cray and Gordon first came within sight of No. 31 Floral Avenue -there were lights in some of the upper windows, but before they had -reached a point opposite the house, the lights went out. - -“Mrs. Simpson is just going to bed,” announced Cray. “Good enough! Glad -to see she isn’t a night owl. Thought of that, but was afraid to pile -on any more injunctions.” - -They passed the house and continued along the road toward the brow of -the hill, then turned about and paced slowly back. There were lights in -some of the other houses, and Green Eye could see that Cray had been -right in saying that there were no other windows to overlook Simpson’s -rear yard and garage. - -“Like to see the wheel tracks?” asked Cray, just before they reached -the house again. “Safe enough, I guess, if she isn’t snooping around.” - -Gordon shook his head. “I’d like to have a look at them myself,” he -answered, “but we’d better wait for a while and give the woman a chance -to quiet down. She may be peering out of those back windows for all -she’s worth at this very moment, you know. What you said was enough to -arouse any woman’s curiosity, and she’s probably imagining all sorts -of things. I don’t believe she’s in touch with her husband, and even -if she were, it’s unlikely that she could get word to him. Still, you -never know what a panicky woman is going to do. She has no man to fall -back upon now, remember, and if she saw us lurking about, she might -call up the police.” - -“Well, what if she did?” demanded Cray. “We haven’t anything to be -afraid of at their hands.” - -Having once been a police detective himself, he often found it hard -to sympathize with his companion’s attitude, which was that of most -private detectives. - -“That’s a foolish question, Jack,” Green Eye returned, copying one -of Nick Carter’s gentle rebukes. “We’re not down in the city now, -remember. We’ll be up against some country officers, who might yank -us off to the lockup before we had a chance to explain. While we were -gone, what if Simpson should appear on the scene? Where would our plans -be then?” - -“That’s right, too,” Cray agreed ruefully. “Might get away and not turn -up again. Take it all back, Mr. Carter. We can wait for a while—long -enough for Mrs. Simpson to get tired if she’s on the watch—and still -have time to look about a bit, with the help of our flash lights, -before midnight. Not much chance that Simpy will show up before then.” - -Accordingly, they concealed themselves near by and waited impatiently -until nearly eleven-thirty, by which time all the houses in the -neighborhood were dark. - -“Now we’ll do a little exploring,” announced Green Eye. They cautiously -skirted Simpson’s property until they reached a point from which they -could see that the rear windows were all closed, after which they -continued to the rear of the lot. - -They remained outside the low fence until they had satisfied themselves -that Simpson was not in the vicinity. Having ascertained that, they -crept about the corner of the fence, and, lurking in its shadow, -approached the wide gate which the fugitive had had cut there. - -Cray switched on his flash light, and turned it downward so that it -shone upon the footprint he had noted earlier in the day. - -“That’s Simpson’s, I’m pretty sure,” he declared. “Got the data of it, -anyway. The fellow stood here to open the gate.” - -“Show me the tire marks first,” Gordon said. - -He was trying to simulate Nick’s thoroughness, but he had a more -personal reason as well. He wished to see if the tracks would tell -him the same story they had told his companion, because if they did -not—well, the stolen gold might prove to be much more elusive than he -had hoped, and the sooner he found it out the better. - -The night was dark. Along the street an occasional arc lamp spluttered -characteristically, but there at the rear of the house it was very -lonely and gloomy; nevertheless, the two men threw frequent glances at -the Simpson back windows, and their ears were strained all the time to -catch the first sounds of approach. - -Gordon’s examination did not take long. Every mark that he saw served -to confirm what Cray had told him, and as the light was switched off -the darkness permitted a significant grin of satisfaction. - -“I see nothing to upset your reasoning, Jack,” he said judicially. -“We had better go into the yard, though, and see if there are any new -tracks in front of the garage, and then get under cover.” - -Cray had noted that morning that the hinges of the gate had been very -thoroughly oiled, but it seemed best not to put them to the test, but -to crawl over the fence at one side, where their own footprints would -not be conspicuous. - -Thereafter, keeping as much as possible in the lee of the little -garage, they examined the corner in front of the door. - -“Nothing new seems to have taken place here,” Cray informed the -supposed Nick Carter. “Here’s the one set of tire marks, you see, and -nothing more of consequence, not even an obliterated trail. If the -stuff was inside the garage this morning, it seems safe enough to say -that it’s here still.” - -As he spoke, he tried the door once more, but found it locked, as it -had been that morning. They passed on around the little structure of -metal, keeping to the side, away from the house. - -“There’s the lumber pile I told you about,” Cray announced. “About time -to hunt our holes, isn’t it?” - -His companion agreed, and they made themselves as comfortable as they -could beside the pile of boards. Now, however, as Cray had foretold, -they were exposed to view from the back of the house, but the only -alternative was to take a position which might reveal them to Simpson -if he should come, as they counted on his doing. - -“Let’s hope he shows up, and is considerate enough not to keep us -waiting too long,” murmured Gordon. “I’ve seen cozier places than -this.” - - - - - CHAPTER XXIV. - - REWARDED AT LAST. - - -More than once during the wait that followed, Jack Cray felt compelled -to enjoin silence. - -Under ordinary circumstances, he would not have thought of doing so -where Nick Carter—as he believed—was concerned. That night, however, -the great detective appeared to be unusually reckless, and Cray, on the -other hand, felt an unwonted sense of responsibility and leadership. - -To be sure, his ally had taken the joy out of life to some extent -by arriving at practically the same point through a process of -reasoning, but Cray had done all the work, and was quite proud of his -achievements; therefore, for once in his life, he felt somewhere near -on an equality with Nick, and allowed himself to call Gordon down for -incautious remarks now and then. - -“Not a word now!” he at last whispered authoritatively. “No telling how -soon he may come!” - -As a matter of fact, he had reason to be more cautious, and to take -Simpson’s anticipated advent more seriously than did Gordon. Cray was -doing everything in good faith, and kept continually in mind Griswold’s -injunctions in regard to secrecy. He believed that it would be easy -enough for two of them to capture Simpson, should that individual -appear, but he went further than that, and determined to accomplish -the capture as nearly in silence as possible, for he feared that the -neighborhood might be aroused by Mrs. Simpson, if she heard anything in -the nature of a scuffle. - -On the contrary, Green Eye cared nothing about the millionaire -newspaper proprietor’s desires or interests, and it made little -difference to him whether the man were arrested or not, if only he -could get the best of Cray and Simpson and make his get-away. - -Nevertheless, he did not resent Cray’s assumption of command, for his -brain was very busy, and quickly turned from the contemplation of one -pleasing possibility to another. - -He did not believe that a man of John Simpson’s type had succeeded in -spending very much of that eighty thousand dollars. Therefore, the -absconding treasurer’s loot promised to be well worth having as a nest -egg. - -Gordon meant it to be more than a nest egg, though. Other and larger -sums were soon to join it and keep it company, according to those rosy -dreams of his. - -Now to the front crowded memories of those coveted papers he had -examined in Nick Carter’s study that afternoon—the papers which were -now safe in his pockets, and represented his real fortune. - -In particular, he recalled one set of records relating to the doings of -a young man of sporting inclinations. The young man in question was the -only son of one of America’s richest men, and the sporting tendencies -referred to had once got him into a very awkward position. - -Nick Carter had extricated the foolish youngster without injustice to -any one, and without the slightest hint of publicity. If Green-eye -Gordon had his way, however, the young man and the young man’s father -would soon learn how it feels to have youthful indiscretions return to -roost. - -“That alone ought to be worth a tidy fortune,” the schemer told himself. - -In addition there were the Walsh papers, the Gravesend case, all the -tempting possibilities of the Lindley matter, and, coming nearer -home, there were a number of documents dealing with men within easy -reach—with Chester J. Gillespie, for instance; ex-Senator Phelps, -Bertie Craybill, Harold Lumsden, the actor, and others. - -Yes, there were endless possibilities—money to be wrung from men who -would be forced to keep their mouths shut, and their banking accounts -at his command. - -In the darkness, the criminal gave vent to a chuckle, which choked as -he felt Cray turn and glance at him inquiringly. - -“I was just thinking of the surprise in store for our friend,” he -whispered. “Why doesn’t he come?” - -But John Simpson seemed in no hurry to arrive, if he intended to do so -at all. One o’clock came and passed, and the waiting men were still in -their cramped positions beside the pile of lumber. - -It began to look as if Cray had been wrong in his theory, or else -that, discouraged by Mrs. Simpson’s new hobby of sleeping at the rear -of the house, the missing man had decided not to visit the place that -night—for surely Simpson must have known that everybody had been in bed -for hours. - -Even the ex-police detective, usually so stolid, began to fidget. -Suddenly, however, his body grew rigid, and his left hand closed upon -the arm of the man beside him. - -From the roadway at the rear, still some little distance off, had come -faint but unmistakable sounds. - -A motor vehicle of some sort, well-nigh silent in operation, was -approaching, and pebbles were being displaced by its rubber-tired -wheels. - -“Our man!” Cray whispered. - - - - - CHAPTER XXV. - - THOSE EXTRA-HEAVY SUIT CASES. - - -Green Eye did not reply to the burly detective’s warning, but his hand -took a firm grip on the revolver in his pocket. - -He was holding it by the barrel, however. - -The brief interval that followed seemed long and tedious, but in -reality it could not have been of more than three or four minutes’ -duration. - -Although tense and physically on the alert, Gordon found his mind -wandering. He wondered idly where Simpson had been staying, and how he -dared to travel about even at night in the same machine in which he had -removed the gold from the Hattontown bank. - -“He probably counts on Griswold doing nothing,” he decided, then grimly -called himself to account. “What difference does it make to me where he -has been hiding?” he asked himself impatiently. “The important thing is -that he seems to be here, that the gold also seems to be here, and that -he’s going to be kind enough to show me where it is.” - -The unseen car approached very quietly, and came to a halt outside -the gate. They heard the faint scrape of the man’s heel as Simpson -dismounted, then footsteps approached the gate, the latch was -cautiously lifted, and the gate swung inward. - -Obviously Simpson intended to drive into the yard, and that could mean -only one thing—that he intended to remove a substantial part of the -gold, if not all of it, and wished to bring the machine as close to -his hiding place as possible, so that he need only carry the stuff a -minimum distance. - -The fugitive was within a few feet of the two men when he pushed the -gate back against the fence, but they made no attempt to tackle him. -They felt pretty sure that the loot was hidden in the garage, but until -there was no longer the slightest room for doubt, they meant to give -Simpson all the rope he needed. - -Presently the faint, buzzing sound of the motor began again, and then -the vehicle loomed over the top of the fence. Simpson was backing it -very slowly and cautiously into the graveled driveway in front of the -garage. - -Now the car—an electric coupé somewhat larger than usual—was in the -yard, and part of it was hidden to view beyond the garage. It was -backed a few feet farther, and then the subdued humming of the motor -abruptly ceased. - -Again the two watchers heard the driver step out. Now there was a new -sound, that of a key being inserted in a lock. The lock clicked audibly -in the stillness, after which the door of the garage began to slide -aside. - -Not one of the sounds that had been made thus far could have been heard -at a little distance, but not one of them had escaped the keen ears of -Cray and Green-eye Gordon. - -As they anticipated, the man did not push the garage door fully aside, -that being unnecessary, owing to the fact that he did not intend to -drive the machine in, but only to gain access himself, and to have room -enough to carry out what he meant to make away with. - -The time for action had come at last. - -After exchanging signals, the two men behind the lumber pile silently -straightened up, exercised their cramped limbs in the air, one after -the other, and then stole toward the nearest corner of the little -structure. Guided by the sounds within, they peered around the corner, -and saw that the open door of the coupé was just opposite the door of -the garage, and that no more than two or three feet separated them. - -They had expected Simpson to begin carrying out the stuff at once, and -meant to attack him as soon as he had completed his task and save them -the trouble of handling the gold. Now, however, it was evident that he -was digging. - -They caught the scrape of his foot on the spade, and a series of faint -“swishes,” as spadeful after spadeful of soft soil was thrown aside. - -It was impossible for the two men to exchange words, but they turned -and looked at each other, their faces close together. Plainly, it was -necessary for them to wait still longer, if they intended to carry out -their original program and let Simpson do the work. - -The garage in itself had not appealed to him as an altogether safe -hiding place, and he had gone to the trouble of burying the loot under -the structure. - -Some minutes passed before Simpson’s spade struck something hard. After -more scraping and rasping, the fugitive brought out a box or some -similar receptacle, to judge by the sounds. Incidentally its weight was -made manifest by the subdued grunts and pants which they heard. - -A few moments’ rest followed, and then the man awkwardly conveyed the -box—or whatever it was—to the door. - -The watchers saw now that it was a suit case of the stoutest leather, -bought, doubtless, for the purpose, but looking considerably the worse -for wear, as a result of its burial. - -After a great deal of effort, the far-from-athletic Simpson succeeded -in hoisting it into the coupé. Would he fill up the hole now and close -the garage, or was there more to follow? - -Obviously there was more, for after some further digging and a lot of -sighs and mutterings, a second suit case, somewhat smaller, was dragged -out and deposited in the car. - -“That must be all of it,” thought Green Eye. “Eighty thousand dollars -in gold doesn’t weigh a ton or fill a coffin.” - -He was right. At any rate, Simpson’s actions quickly convinced them -that he did not intend to remove anything more that night. He looked -apprehensively in the direction of the house, and reëntered the garage, -where, for some minutes, he again busied himself with the spade. - -He was filling in the hole. The clash was about due now. - -Gordon had an inspiration. He had been wondering how Simpson had -previously concealed the freshly turned earth, or how he meant to do so -now. - -“I’ll bet he has it fixed so that the excavation appears to have been -made for the purpose of sinking one of those underground gasoline -tanks!” he told himself. “Very likely he’s got the whole paraphernalia -there, and the tank is actually in the ground. That’s what I would have -done under the circumstances, at any rate.” - -As a matter of fact, his guess proved to be a singularly accurate one, -for that was just the blind to which Simpson had resorted. - -The spade had been laid aside now, and the critical moment had arrived. -Cray turned to his companion and made a series of quick, expressive -gestures. - -“I’ll tackle him. You be ready to gag him while I hold him,” they said -as plainly as words. - -An instant later, Simpson reappeared in the narrow space between the -garage and the car, and, turning his back, started to shut the big, -sliding door. - -That was Jack Cray’s opportunity, and, taking immediate advantage of -it, he launched himself full tilt at the thief’s back. - - - - - CHAPTER XXVI. - - NOT ON THE PROGRAM. - - -Simpson gave a startled gasp and tried to turn, but Cray’s weight bore -him down, and in a trice they were on the ground. - -Gordon showed himself, and approached as they flopped about for a few -moments in that confined space. Suddenly he turned without warning and -ran around the corner behind which he had just been hiding. He quickly -circled about the tiny garage and approached the struggling men from -the other direction. - -The space had been so narrow that it would have been awkward for him to -get at Simpson’s head. Now, however, he could do so without difficulty, -and, as he stooped, he had a handkerchief all ready to gag the prisoner. - -Cray, he found, had Simpson by the throat, and was effectually -preventing any outcry, while his great bulk kept the prisoner from -squirming out from under him. - -“Now, give it to him!” Jack muttered, breathing heavily. “He can’t let -out a peep.” - -Green Eye forced the wretch’s jaws apart, and, inserting the -handkerchief, tied it tightly in place; whereupon, Cray rolled Simpson -over and handcuffed his wrists together behind his back. - -The capture had been completed in record time, with no battle to speak -of, and without a sound that could have been heard in the front of the -house. Neither of the victors was inclined to congratulate himself very -much on that achievement, for whatever might be said of John Simpson’s -cleverness in gaining possession of that snug little fortune in gold, -the treasurer was far from a desperate character to deal with. - -“Now, keep still!” commanded Cray. “If you don’t, you’ll wish you had, -I can promise you!” - -The warning seemed entirely superfluous, but Jack Cray knew that gagged -men have sometimes managed to make sounds in their throats which have -been loud enough to bring assistance. - -With Gordon’s help, the captive was jerked through the doorway and into -the garage. One man had already been disposed of, and Gordon was now -secretly turning his attention to Cray, but the latter did not dream of -that. - -Jack’s interest at the moment was confined to the helpless man whose -face he desired to see to better advantage. Accordingly he drew out his -flash light and turned it upon Simpson’s features. - -The treasurer’s face was very pale—ghastly, in fact—and his lips -were working convulsively on the gag, while his eyes were those of a -cornered animal. - -To an inexperienced person, he bore little resemblance to the -descriptions of the missing treasurer, and certainly he did not look -like the manager of the Hattontown _Observer_, whose character he had -assumed at the bank. As a matter of fact, his disguise was a rather -effective one, in view of his inexperience, for he had been wise enough -not to attempt too much. - -A rather straggling little mustache, grayish, and too long, with a -tendency to “weep,” had been transplanted to his upper lip, and proved -to be unusually in keeping with his somewhat weak features. He wore a -wig of an expensive sort, very difficult to detect, and the rest of -his disguise consisted of a few inconspicuous lines, by which he had -managed to change his expression to a surprising extent. - -Cray made short work of the mustache and wig. - -“Well, my friend,” he announced, “here we are! You didn’t look for us, -did you? Here are Nick Carter and old Jack Cray, at your service.” - -He shook his head as he contemplated the shrinking man. - -“You’ve certainly a lot of misdirected ability in a number of ways, -Simpson,” he remarked. “If you had exhibited half as much when you were -holding down your job on the _Chronicle and Observer_, you might have -made something of yourself. There’s a big streak of incompetency in -you, though. Queer mixture you are—very.” - -He paused for a moment, while Simpson quailed under his glance and -looked the picture of misery. - -“Got any more of the stuff buried, or did you dig it all up?” Cray -demanded, jerking one stumpy thumb toward the place where his prisoner -had been digging. - -Simpson nodded despairingly. - -“All in the car, eh?” - -There was another nod. - -“Well, I’m inclined to believe you,” Jack announced, “but we don’t -intend to let it go at that, you know. Have to do a little digging on -our own account to make sure.” - -He stepped aside and reached for the spade. - -“What are you doing, Mr. Carter?” he called out softly. - -But in a moment the other’s occupation was evident enough, for Gordon -was leaning through the open door of the coupé and working, with -trembling fingers, at the straps of one of the suit cases. The weight -of the case left little or no doubt concerning the nature of its -contents, but his greed had compelled him to take a look at the gold -at the first opportunity, especially when he had found that both cases -were only strapped, not locked. - -“I wanted to be sure this was the stuff,” he replied to Cray’s -question, and continued feverishly until the cover was raised. - -It was gold beyond question—a great quantity of it. - -Much of it was still done up in packages, just as it had come from the -bank in Hattontown, but many of the packages had been broken open, -either by accident, or because Simpson had wanted to feast his eyes on -the thousands of bright, newly minted coins. - -Cray looked over Green Eye’s shoulder for a moment. - -“Looks like the real stuff,” he commented indifferently. “Got to dig -and see if there’s any more, though.” - -“Go ahead, then,” his companion said impatiently. - -Gordon also wished to be sure that all of the stolen gold that remained -was in the car, but he could not tear himself away from the sight and -touch of those gleaming coins just then. Besides, he was quite willing -that Cray should do whatever dirty work might be involved. - -While the perspiring Cray was again removing the dirt which Simpson had -shoveled back into the hole, the master criminal fondled the gold in -the two suit cases, then grudgingly closed and strapped them. He had -hardly done so before Cray announced: - -“He told the truth. At any rate, there’s no more of it here.” - -Green-eye Gordon took his revolver from his pocket and clubbed it. - -“Just leave everything as it is, and let’s get out of this,” the -supposed Nick Carter said impatiently, stepping aside, so that he was -not directly in front of the garage door. “Come out here a moment, -though, before we put this fellow into the car. I don’t want him to -overhear.” - -At that, the unsuspecting Cray threw the spade aside and came out, -mopping his forehead. - -“Where are you?” he asked, looking about uncertainly from beneath the -folds of his handkerchief. - -For the time being, his big hand was protecting his forehead, but the -moment he withdrew it, in order to see better, the blow fell. - - - - - CHAPTER XXVII. - - GORDON MAKES HIS GET-AWAY. - - -As it happened, Jack Cray’s skull was a pretty tough one, and, -therefore, the criminal’s first blow, vicious as it was, did not end -matters. - -It badly dazed the ex-police detective, making him totter and throw out -his hands instinctively, but the attack was so extraordinary, coming, -as he believed, from Nick Carter, that he fought with all his might to -retain his senses long enough to see what it meant. - -“Mr. Carter!” he muttered; then, lurching forward, peered at his -assailant. - -The act took Gordon by surprise. He had been prepared to strike again, -but his blow missed its mark and struck Cray on the shoulder. - -“Curse you!” Green Eye snarled, raising the weapon a third time. “Take -that, then!” - -But Cray seized him in a clumsy, though powerful grasp, and, with -blinking eyes, peered into his face at close range. A moment later, -Gordon wrenched himself loose, but the emergency seemed to have made -Cray’s brain act with more than its customary speed. - -Despite the poor light, Jack had got a near and clear view of that -distorted face and those rage-filled, greenish eyes. Had he been his -normal self, he probably would have disbelieved the evidence of his own -senses, for he would have recalled the seemingly conclusive reports of -Gordon’s death. As it was, however, he recalled nothing of this at the -time, and only remembered the peculiarity which had given Ernest Gordon -his nickname. - -“Good heavens! Green-eye Gordon!” he whispered. - -A second later, the criminal’s third blow fell squarely on his -forehead, and he went down, without a groan. - -Immediately Green Eye bent over him and switched on his flash light. - -“Curse you, curse you!” he reiterated wildly, striking Cray’s -unprotected head again and again, apparently with all his might. - -He had no definite intention of killing the detective, but he was -seeing red just then, and did not care in the least how hard he struck. -As a matter of fact, he was inclined to believe that he had murdered -his victim, and he actually hoped that he had, for Cray’s recognition -of him had enraged him beyond measure. - -On the other hand, that sort of thing had never been in his line. He -had prided himself on his ability to succeed without resorting to such -extremes, and for that reason he shrank from any attempt to ascertain -definitely whether Jack Cray were living or dead. - -Besides, he was naturally impatient to be off with the gold, and away -from this place where he had momentarily forgotten himself. - -Accordingly, he rose from his knees, without another glance at the -unconscious man, and, pocketing his weapon, returned to the door of -the garage. The prisoner could not have seen what took place; but, as -the attack had occurred just at the corner of the little building, and -within a few feet of the door, it was quite possible that he had heard -enough to reconstruct the whole scene, despite the remarkable quietness -which had prevailed. - -That, however, could not be helped, and as Gordon planned to lock the -absconding treasurer in the garage, he did not anticipate any immediate -trouble from that direction. - -Moreover, Cray had, so to speak, introduced himself and his companion -to Simpson, speaking of Gordon as Nick Carter, of course. That promised -to furnish the basis of a nice mystery. - -Green Eye found the prisoner almost fainting with terror, and finished -the work already begun, by fastening him in such a way that he could -not budge from his place, or make any noise to amount to anything. - -“This will have to be your cell for the present, Simpson,” he informed -the trembling thief. “Don’t worry, though, you’ll find yourself in a -real one, before long.” - -And he turned his back on the wretched man and stalked out, pushing the -door to and locking it behind him. - -Cray remained to be disposed of, but Gordon had not forgotten that -fact. He had had no intention of placing the two men in the garage, -for he considered that unwise, on general principles. If Cray were -dead, as he believed, the presence of the body might drive Simpson to -extraordinary exertions, and thus bring about a premature discovery. -On the other hand, if Jack were still alive, the two men might find -means of communicating with or helping each other. - -What then? - -Naturally it occurred to the criminal that it might be well to bundle -Cray into the car and carry him for some distance from the scene of the -affair before attempting to dispose of the body. A moment’s thought -caused him to veto that plan, however. - -The car was not overlarge, and if Cray’s bulk were added to that of the -two gold-laden suit cases, the interior of the electric machine would -be overcrowded. - -Furthermore, the upholstery was rather light in hue, and Gordon was -afraid of bloodstains. - -On the whole, therefore, he decided to leave his victim in the yard, -but to conceal him as well as he could. - -To that end, he dragged Jack’s inert form around the corner of the -garage to a point close beside the lumber pile. Then very quietly he -began removing boards from the top of the pile and placing them in -another and narrower pile just on the other side of the body. - -When he had raised this smaller pile to the required height, he began -placing more boards in such a way that each one projected an inch or -so beyond the one below it, thus forming a sort of arch over Cray’s -outstretched form—a one-sided arch that soon touched the original pile -of lumber and leaned against it more or less securely. - -“There!” Green Eye muttered. “Now he can’t be seen from the house or -the road here at the back. The ends are open, to be sure, but I can’t -help that. I haven’t anything here to cover the openings. All I ask, -though, is a start of a few hours, and that I shall certainly have.” - -As best he could, he obliterated the track he had left in dragging Cray -to the lumber pile, after which he climbed into the machine, disposed -of the precious suit cases to the best advantage, and touched the -starting lever. - -He had not yet turned on the lights of the car, but the hours he had -spent in the gloom had thoroughly accustomed his eyes to the darkness, -and, therefore, he had no trouble in guiding the easily controlled car -out through the gate and into the road beyond. - -There he brought it to a stop, and, returning hastily, obliterated the -tire marks in front of the garage and such of his own footprints as he -could find. He did not wish to use his flash light too much, however; -therefore, it is quite possible that the job was not a very thorough -one. - -Finally he passed through the gate, closed it, and reëntered the car, -which quietly purred away into the night. - -Green-eye Gordon’s extraordinary daring had put him into possession of -a fortune of close to seventy-five thousand dollars, at least, as well -as a bundle of papers which might yield him several times that amount. - -He had robbed a thief and left the latter an unofficial prisoner, -doomed to starvation, in all probability, if he were not soon found. - -And he had murderously assaulted Jack Cray and left him, a battered -and bleeding hulk, supposedly dead. - -It was quite a day’s work, and Green-eye Gordon may be excused for -feeling considerably elated. His work was full of holes, however, and -far from detection-proof, as Nick Carter could have proved to him in -short order. - -The question was, would Nick have the chance in time to avoid a chase -around the world? - - - - - CHAPTER XXVIII. - - WHAT THE DOG BARKED AT. - - -About half past six the following morning, Mrs. Simpson’s maid, who had -slept out, let herself into the house with her latchkey and quietly -made her way to the kitchen. - -As usual, her first act was to open the door and windows, for the -weather was warm. In doing so, she was attracted by a disturbance in -the back yard, and realized that she had heard a dog barking furiously -as she came along the street and through the house. - -She had paid no particular attention to the persistent barking, but -now that she found the animal was in the rear of the Simpson lot, and -acting very strangely, her curiosity was fully aroused. - -She did not know the dog. It was brownish in hue, collarless, and -neglected in appearance. Obviously it was a stray animal which had -found its way there on a foraging expedition. - -Now, however, its original errand had been completely forgotten, and -the greatest excitement had taken its place. - -The creature was running from one end of the lumber pile to the -other—always being careful to remain at a respectful distance—and was -giving vent to an unending series of frenzied barks. - -The open country lay just beyond the Simpson house, and the girl’s -first thought was that some small-game animal had taken refuge in some -cranny of the lumber. Urged on by her curiosity, she stepped out of the -house and started toward the rear of the yard. - -“It’s a rabbit, mebbe, or a squirrel,” she told herself. “Why don’t the -fool dig at it, though, instead of yelping its head off?” - -But by that time she had reached a point from which she could get a -view of the rear end of the lumber pile. Suddenly she halted in her -tracks. - -“For the love of Heaven!” she muttered. “That’s funny! Who’s been -monkeying with that lumber? It’s been piled over in the night, or some -of it has been swiped, and they’ve left a hole underneath. That’s where -the mutt’s rabbit, or whatever it is, is making itself scarce.” - -Vaguely disturbed by her surprising discovery, she approached the spot -more slowly. - -“There seems to be as much lumber as ever,” she decided, “but what does -it mean? Who would have taken the trouble to do that—in the dead of -night, too—if he wasn’t up to some mischief?” - -Now the dog caught sight of her and came running forward. She shooed -him away, and he began barking at her, but the barks now had a pleading -note in them, and again and again he ran back to the pile of lumber. - -“He wants me to help him, the poor boob!” the girl thought, with a -pitying smile. “Ain’t that just like a fool dog?” - -But she advanced a little farther, somewhat warily, and sniffing the -air as she did so. Certainly it was not a skunk that had been cornered, -and it was not likely that the creature was ferocious. - -Having finally arrived within six or eight feet of the end of the pile, -the maid stooped cautiously and peered into the little tunnel. A moment -later, she gave a piercing scream, picked up her skirts, and fled to -the house. - -Again and again she raised her voice as she ran, but fortunately her -vocal efforts did not again touch the high-water mark of that first -cry, which, as it proved, had awakened Mrs. Simpson. - -The girl scuttled through the lower part of the house, and was flying -up the stairs, when her mistress appeared at the top of the first -flight. - -“What in the world is the matter, Mary?” Mrs. Simpson demanded. - -As she put the question, she clutched at her heart, for her thoughts -had instinctively gone to her missing husband, and she imagined that -the maid must have had some news of Simpson, or, perhaps, had even -found his body on the front doorstep. - -Naturally, therefore, the girl’s information was not reassuring. - -“Oh, Mrs. Simpson!” she cried. “There’s been a murder as sure as you -live! There’s a dead man under that pile of lumber in the back yard! I -saw his feet!” - -Mrs. Simpson’s face was as white as her nightdress. - -“Merciful Heaven!” she breathed, horror in her eyes. “I knew it—it’s -Mr. Simpson! Oh, how can I bear it, how can I bear it!” - -And she clutched the banister for support. - -Fortunately, however, the girl knew better than that, even in her -fright, and said so at once. - -“No, no, it ain’t Mr. Simpson!” she said pityingly, patting her -mistress’ heaving shoulder. “This man’s got big feet, Mrs. Simpson. His -shoes ain’ a bit like your husband’s.” - -“Are you sure?” - -“Certain sure, ma’am.” - -“Thank Heaven!” the frightened woman cried fervently. “It’s terrible -enough, though, if what you say is true. Call the neighbors, get some -man here as quick as you can. I’ll dress while you’re gone.” - -The maid ran downstairs on the new errand, and Mrs. Simpson returned to -her bedroom. Five minutes later, she left the house by the rear door, -wrapped in a long kimono. - -The servant’s errand had already borne fruit, for, although the girl -herself was not in sight, a man in his shirt sleeves and with dangling -suspenders was just climbing over the side fence. - -“What’s this I hear about a dead man, Mrs. Simpson?” he called out, as -he caught sight of her. “Your girl wasn’t very coherent, but I caught -something about the lumber pile in the back yard.” - -Mrs. Simpson hurried to him and pointed to the pile of boards. - -“There it is,” she explained nervously. “Mary says a man is -underneath, and I can see that something has been done to the pile -since yesterday. That hole wasn’t there then.” - -The dog was still keeping up his incessant noise as they approached, -and the neighbor found it impossible to drive him away. Mrs. Simpson -stopped at some distance, and the man went on. - -He, too, stopped and peered into the opening under the pile, but laid -his hand on it in order to do so. After a prolonged scrutiny, he -straightened up. - -“There’s a man under there,” he said soberly. “You had better go to the -house, Mrs. Simpson. This is no place for you.” - -Confronted by this emergency, however, the fugitive’s wife showed -unexpected courage. - -“I shall do nothing of the sort,” she said. “The poor fellow may not -be dead yet, for all we know, and unless the sight is too terrible, I -shall remain to help you. Besides, he’ll have to be brought into the -house, anyway, so why shouldn’t I see him now?” - -“Of course, if you feel that way about it, Mrs. Simpson, stay, by all -means,” the neighbor replied, turning and beginning to throw the boards -back. - -In half a minute he was joined by a couple of other men, while the maid -and several other women appeared. These latter kept at a distance, -however, and, in response to their urgings, Mrs. Simpson joined them. - -The combined efforts of the men resulted in uncovering Cray’s body in -almost no time. The sight that met the rescuers’ gaze was a distressing -one, for the detective’s face was battered and bloody, and there did -not appear at first to be any life in his big body. One of the men -examined him, however, and presently announced that he was still alive. - -“I wouldn’t give much for his chances,” he said, shaking his head, “but -he isn’t dead, that’s certain. I’ll go for Doctor Lord.” - - - - - CHAPTER XXIX. - - “THE GREENISH EYES!” - - -Doctor Lord was a young man, with next to no practice, who had recently -moved into one of the new houses on the hill. It was easier, therefore, -to go for him in person than to stop to telephone. - -In the meantime, the women were reassured and thrilled by the -announcement that Cray still lived, and Mrs. Simpson at once took steps -to care for him. - -She had sent the maid to the house for a basin of warm water and some -towels. With these at hand, Mrs. Simpson herself knelt beside the -unfortunate man and tenderly wiped the blood from his forehead and face. - -Not until then had she recognized him, but when she did so, she gave a -great start, and an audible gasp escaped her. - -The other women were crowding around then, and her behavior was not -lost on them. - -“What’s the matter?” they demanded. “Do you actually know him?” - -Mrs. Simpson bitterly regretted her display of emotion. Fear seemed -to be squeezing her heart with icy fingers. In the background of her -mind a foreboding had been lurking for days. Her instincts had told -her that there was something strange and sinister about her husband’s -disappearance—something which the office had not seen fit to reveal to -her. - -Now she recalled all of Cray’s strange questions and stranger actions. - -“He’s a detective!” she told herself. “I was right. John is in trouble, -and this man must have set a trap for him last night. If he dies, John -will be his murderer. Oh, how could he do it! And Heaven pity me, how -can I stand it!” - -She was the soul of honor herself, however, and simply did not know how -to lie. - -“Yes, I recognize him now,” she admitted reluctantly. “I never saw him -until yesterday, though, and I don’t know what he was doing here last -night—if he was here. He’s a Mr. Jones from my husband’s office, and he -said they had sent him to see if he could help find Mr. Simpson.” - -The young doctor arrived at that juncture, and, at his request, Mrs. -Simpson repeated the information for his benefit as he worked over Cray. - -“You don’t know where he lives, then, or anything about his people?” - -“No, but they would naturally know about that at the newspaper office, -wouldn’t they?” - -“That’s true. You had better telephone there, then—or somebody had. -This poor fellow has had a terrible battering. Fortunately his skull is -very tough, but though I can’t be sure at present, I fear it has been -fractured, in spite of that. If so, the outcome is problematical, and -he may not recover in any case.” - -He rose to his feet. - -“But the first thing to do is to get him into the house,” he declared. -“Have you a bed or a couch on the first floor, Mrs. Simpson?” - -“Yes, there’s a couch, doctor.” - -“Good! Make that ready for him, then, and we’ll bring him right in.” - -Mrs. Simpson and the maid rushed away to do the young physician’s -bidding, and several women accompanied them. The men waited for perhaps -five minutes, in order to allow time to get the couch in readiness. -Then they lifted Cray’s inert bulk as carefully as they could and bore -it slowly toward the house. - -It was no easy task, for the detective weighed close to two hundred -pounds, but their united efforts were equal to it, and the unconscious -man was soon lying, partially undressed, on the comfortable couch in -one of the lower rooms. - -A little later, every one had left the house, with the exception of the -doctor, who continued to work over Cray for some time. - -“I’ve done all I can at present, Mrs. Simpson,” he announced finally. -“If you don’t mind, though, I’ll stay with him for the present, so that -I shall be on hand if any change comes.” - -He paused and smiled frankly. - -“You see, I’m not overburdened with practice,” he explained, “and under -the circumstances, I’m inclined to make as much out of this case as I -can—in the way of experience, I mean.” - -That promised to relieve the woman of a great deal of responsibility, -and she accepted the suggestion readily enough, although she would -have preferred, if possible, that no outsider should have access to the -patient. - -“I’m afraid you had better telephone to the office, though, before -breakfast,” the doctor went on. “As yet, there’s no knowing how this -case is going to turn out, and this poor fellow’s friends may live -out of New York, in some other direction. In that case, there’s a -possibility that it will take hours for them to reach here.” - -“I’ll telephone at once,” Mrs. Simpson assured him, “and, meanwhile, -Mary will be getting breakfast. You must join me in the dining room, -doctor, or let her bring you something here.” - -She intended to play the part that had been thrust upon her as well as -she could, even though her mind was filled with all sorts of tragic -possibilities. - -Fortunately there was a telephone in the house, and, after considerable -delay, Mrs. Simpson got in touch with the office of the New York -_Chronicle and Observer_. To her regret, however, she could find no one -who knew anything about an employee by the name of Jones who answered -her description. - -It was explained, however, that the hour was a very early one, and that -the business offices would not be open until eight-thirty. - -“This is the editorial department,” the man at the other end assured -her, “and we don’t know much about the other branches. I’ll make a -note of it, though, and of your telephone number, and have the matter -brought to the attention of the general manager when he arrives.” - -“I—I think it might be well to inform Mr. Griswold himself,” the woman -ventured to suggest. “Mr. Jones told me yesterday that Mr. Griswold had -sent him. I don’t know whether he meant it literally or not, but——” - -“Well, I’ll do everything I can, Mrs. Simpson,” the editor promised, -and with that she had to be content. - -Doctor Lord was plainly disappointed at the news, but seemed to have -nothing better to suggest. - -“It’s pretty early,” he admitted. - -Mrs. Simpson finished dressing, and she and the young physician -breakfasted together, after which he returned to Cray’s side, while his -hostess busied herself with some of her morning duties. - -Lord was a practical, unimaginative young man, and therefore, although -he was greatly interested in the case from a professional standpoint, -he did not waste much time in speculation regarding it. That was for -the local authorities to do. He would not have been human, however, -had he not pricked up his ears when his patient, after showing various -signs of returning life, began to move uneasily, and to mutter. - -The doctor was able to make out two names, which were repeated over and -over again. - -The names were “Gordon” and “Nick Carter.” - -“Nick Carter!” muttered the listener. “That’s queer! That must be the -well-known New York detective. What the dickens has this fellow got to -do with him, though, unless he has done something wrong, and Carter is -after him?” - -Then he remembered the rumors that were flying all about in the -neighborhood—rumors which hinted that there was something queer about -John Simpson’s unexplained absence. - -“This is getting interesting!” Doctor Lord told himself meditatively. - -“Nick Carter!” Cray muttered again, and this time he added: “The -eyes—the greenish eyes!” - - - - - CHAPTER XXX. - - MRS. SIMPSON LEARNS THE TRUTH. - - -Lane A. Griswold’s big car hummed softly to itself as it climbed the -hill from the village of New Pelham, and stopped in front of No. 31 -Floral Avenue. - -The millionaire newspaper proprietor was on a strange errand, and his -expression showed that he realized it. - -Although he was frequently absent from his luxurious suite of private -offices in the _Chronicle and Observer_ building for weeks at a time, -he had walked in that morning promptly at nine o’clock, instead of ten -or eleven, as was his usual habit when in town. - -Five minutes later, he was in possession of such facts as his general -manager and the editor could give him concerning Mrs. Simpson’s phone -message. The manager, of course, informed him that no such person was -employed in the building, but the description had set Griswold to -thinking. - -“I’ll call her up myself,” was the unexpected announcement which had -sent his subordinates about their business. The connection was quickly -made, but the conversation which had ensued was very brief. - -Mrs. Simpson described Jones’ visit of the day before in a very few -words, and then told of the finding of the injured man. Griswold wanted -to ask her to describe the latter once more for his benefit, but -refrained, thinking the request might seem rather strange. - -“I see,” he answered, instead. “I think I had better come up to the -house myself, Mrs. Simpson. I shall start at once, and ought to be -there in an hour, I should say.” - -Less than that time had been required for the trip, and now the -millionaire stepped out of the car and approached the house, looking -about him rather critically as he did so. - -He had not always been wealthy, and he knew that No. 31 Floral Avenue, -though insignificant enough from his present standpoint, was not the -sort of place that a man dependent on the salary of the size of John -Simpson’s was able to afford. Accordingly, therefore, he came to the -same conclusion that Jack Cray had reached the previous day. - -“By Heaven!” he muttered, the skin under his jaws tightening. “The -fellow must have been helping himself from the fund before he decamped. -What a fool he is! What fools they always are to make a big showing on -nothing. Don’t they know what a telltale performance it is?” Then he -smiled a little grimly and shrugged his shoulders. “I suppose, though, -it’s natural that they should want to find some outlet for the money -they’ve sold their souls for,” he added mentally, as he pressed the -button of the electric bell. - -The maid presently opened the door, and Griswold gave his name. He -was ushered into the same room in which Cray had been conducted less -than twenty-four hours before, and in hardly more than a minute Mrs. -Simpson joined him. - -Griswold looked at her with a touch of curiosity, for to him the -members of his staff had always been little more than the cogs in the -great machine that he drove, and it was rather hard for him to think of -them in any intimately human relationship. - -As soon as their first formal greetings were over, he came to the point -at once. - -“I’m very much interested—after a fashion—in this man Jones, Mrs. -Simpson. Are you sure you made no mistake in the name?” - -“Quite, Mr. Griswold,” the missing treasurer’s wife replied positively. -“That’s certainly the name he gave me yesterday. He said you had sent -him, too. He asked me all sorts of questions about Mr. Simpson and -the house and myself—very strange questions, some of them. He even -requested me to show him about the place. I do hope——” - -Lane Griswold held up one carefully manicured hand. - -“It’s all right, I think, Mrs. Simpson,” he hastened to assure her. -“If he’s the man I think he is, he was quite justified in saying I -sent him. Apparently, however, he didn’t choose to give his own name, -which seems to have been a rather useless and unlooked-for performance. -Describe him, please.” - -The woman did so, and Griswold nodded once or twice during the -description. - -“That’s the man,” he admitted. “The name has caused some confusion, -however, and the rest was due to the fact that he isn’t regularly -employed at the office, but works for me personally.” - -He was studying Mrs. Simpson’s face intently, and trying to decide -whether it were worth while to continue the deception or not. Surely, -if she had any intelligence, she must have suspected long before that -there was something very queer about her husband’s disappearance. -Still, so long as she did not insist upon the truth, he thought it best -not to be too definite. - -“I hope Mr.—er—Jones isn’t badly injured?” he said. - -“He’s still unconscious, sir, and the doctor seems to be afraid that -his skull may be fractured. If he has any relatives, Doctor Lord thinks -that they should be notified at once.” - -“I know nothing about his family affairs,” Griswold said, a trifle -impatiently. “My impression is that he’s alone in the world, but I may -be mistaken. May I see him?” - -“Of course. He’s here on the first floor. They did not wait to take him -upstairs. This way, please, Mr. Griswold.” - -And she led the way to the room in which the battered detective lay, -drawing back, however, at the threshold. The young doctor was still -there, largely, perhaps, for want of something better to do. - -Mrs. Simpson had said that the patient was unconscious, thereby giving -Griswold a somewhat mistaken idea. Certainly Cray had not returned to -normal consciousness, but he was by no means in the motionless stupor -the newspaper proprietor had looked for. If his informant had told him -that Jack was delirious, he would have been better prepared. - -Nick’s burly friend was tossing restlessly to and fro—at least, his -head and arms were—and just as Griswold came to a halt and looked down -at him, he uttered two words which had come frequently to his lips that -morning. - -“Nick Carter,” he muttered, in a somewhat muffled, but perfectly -distinct voice. - -“He has been repeating that name at intervals for hours,” the young -doctor remarked. “It must be the detective, don’t you suppose?” - -Griswold was under the impression that Mrs. Simpson had withdrawn, but -even that did not entirely explain the slip that followed. He who had -desired secrecy above all things must have forgotten himself for the -time being. - -“Yes, it’s the detective,” he answered in a matter-of-fact tone. “This -man is himself a detective, and they were working together on——” - -He stopped abruptly as a cry from the doorway reached him. Mrs. Simpson -had heard what he said. - - - - - CHAPTER XXXI. - - THE MILLIONAIRE PLAYS SLEUTH. - - -As we have seen, the missing man’s wife had always had an uncomfortable -feeling that all was not as it should be. Her husband had not been -himself for some time before his disappearance, and the sudden fit of -extravagance which had led him to take the new house on such short -notice, and to talk about buying a car, had aroused suspicions, which -she had loyally tried to tread under foot. - -Naturally, therefore, his actual flight, and the strange attitude of -those connected with the newspaper—their unwillingness to have her go -to the police, for instance—had worried her greatly, although she had -succeeded again and again in arguing herself into a belief that there -was some other explanation. - -Now, after hearing Lane Griswold’s unguarded statement, there was no -longer any room for doubt in her mind. She staggered forward half -blindly, and, forgetting the doctor, or ignoring him, she laid both -trembling hands on Griswold’s sleeve. - -“My—my husband!” she stammered. “Then he—took——” - -The newspaper proprietor lowered his head. - -“Yes,” he answered soberly. “I’ve tried to keep the truth from you -as long as I could, Mrs. Simpson. I thought you were out of earshot. -You must try to bear up under it. If I had had any intention of -prosecuting Simpson for making away with the relief fund he was -handling, this whole affair would not have been conducted with any -such secrecy. I have hired private detectives to investigate, because -I wished to keep things quiet, in order that the reputation of the -_Chronicle and Observer_ might not be tarnished.” - -“Then, if they catch John, he’ll not be arrested? Is that what you -mean?” - -“Exactly,” he answered. “I must confess, Mrs. Simpson, that I shall not -approve in every way of such an outcome. I believe in just punishment. -As it happens, however, we’re not in a position to punish your husband -without starting a lot of injurious gossip about the way we handle -public contributions. Therefore, when Simpson is found, he’ll merely be -forced to disgorge. His discharge is already awaiting him on his desk, -of course. Beyond that, I shall do nothing.” - -As may be imagined, Mrs. Simpson’s emotions were chaotic. Her horror -at the certainty of her husband’s crime had been succeeded by loving -anguish, as she pictured his arrest and punishment. Now she was greatly -relieved to hear that there was no danger of this; but, on the other -hand, her heart bled as she realized what it would necessarily mean to -them both, at best. He was no longer a young man, and had been able -to save very little. His disgrace and the loss of his position would -almost certainly age him greatly, perhaps cause a complete breakdown. -Nothing but misery seemed in prospect. - -“I—I thank you, but I’m in—in no condition to remain!” the poor woman -sobbed, and, turning on her heel, precipitately left the room and fled -upstairs. - -Griswold and the doctor exchanged glances. The former was as sorry for -Mrs. Simpson as he could be in his own way. - -“You’ll treat this as strictly confidential, I’m sure,” the millionaire -said. “You must see the importance of secrecy to us, and so long as -there can be no prosecution, there’s no use in making that poor woman’s -life more of a burden to her than is unavoidable. There’ll be a lot of -gossip here, anyway, I suppose, but we must do all we can to minimize -it.” - -“I agree with you perfectly, sir, and you may count on me,” Doctor Lord -declared sincerely. - -“Thank you. Now, tell me, please, what you make of this man’s injuries, -and what you know of the circumstances?” - -The doctor’s reply was a rather lengthy one. - -“There must have been several blows, and they were very severe,” he -concluded. “I should say that they were delivered by a man of unusual -strength.” - -“That’s interesting,” Griswold said, with a change of expression. -“You don’t believe, then, that a man of slight build, who had spent -practically all of his life in an office, could have perpetrated the -assault?” - -Doctor Lord shook his head emphatically. “That’s extremely unlikely,” -he replied. “In fact, I venture to say that it’s quite impossible.” - -“Then, it’s hard to explain,” Griswold muttered. “Apparently Cray -found some reason to hang about here last night, presumably to catch -Simpson, or to recover the missing gold. If he was knocked out by an -unusually powerful man, the only reasonable conclusion, it seems to -me, is that the fellow in question must have been an accomplice of -Simpson’s.” - -The doctor shrugged his shoulders. - -“That’s the way it looks to me offhand,” he answered. “I don’t pretend -to be a detective, though.” - -“Neither do I. Such problems interest me, though. Can you tell me where -the phone is?” - -The doctor informed him, and Griswold left the room in search of it. -After a little more delay than usual, owing to its being a suburban -call, the millionaire was connected with Nick Carter’s house in New -York. He was informed, however, that the detective had left there -shortly after seven o’clock the evening before, and had not yet -returned. Furthermore, nothing had been heard from him. - -This information was a great disappointment to Griswold, for he had -hoped to get in touch with Nick at once. - -“Very likely he has gone to Hattontown,” he decided. “If both of them -had been watching this place, Cray would hardly have got the worst of -it to such an extent, and would certainly not have been left to be -found by accident—unless there’s a whole gang involved. In that case, -Carter himself must have met with foul play. But it doesn’t seem likely -that Simpson could have enlisted any strong-arm assistance.” - -He reëntered the room where Doctor Lord was. - -“I think I’ll have a look around myself,” he announced. “Will you tell -me just where this man was found?” - -Three minutes later, he approached the pile of lumber, having quietly -left the house by the front door and walked around by way of the -graveled drive. - -He was looking for signs of a struggle, but had found none. The -arrangement of the lumber had been changed when the boards had been -hastily thrown from on top of Cray’s form, and the sod had been badly -trodden by the rescuers. - -Having decided that he was not capable of reading the signs there, if -there were any to be read, the newspaper proprietor stepped rather -aimlessly toward the little garage. Passing around it, he tried the -door, and found it locked. While he was tugging at it, however, a sound -came to his ears from within, and he paused abruptly, holding his -breath. - -“What was that?” he thought. - - - - - CHAPTER XXXII. - - SIMPSON IS FOUND. - - -The sound was a curious, muffled groan, and in a moment it was repeated. - -“Good heavens!” the thought flashed through Griswold’s mind. “What if -Carter has been injured, too, and locked in here?” - -For perhaps half a minute the newspaper proprietor hesitated, as any -man might have done under the circumstances, then he called out in a -guarded tone: - -“Is that you, Carter?” - -There was no answer in words, but he heard another groan—or, rather, -a prolonged and incoherent sound, which suggested a tongueless man’s -efforts at speech. - -“He’s probably injured or gagged,” Griswold concluded. “I mustn’t waste -any time.” - -He pressed against the sliding door some distance below the lock, and -found that it gave quite a little. That discovery encouraged him, -and, running around the garage, he approached the pile of lumber, and -snatched up one of the boards. - -It was twenty feet or more in length, and about six or eight inches in -width. - -Returning as rapidly as he could, he pressed the door with his hand, -and inserted one end of the board in the opening thus made, after which -he began to pry at the door. The length of the board made it unwieldy -and inclined to bend, but Griswold soon remedied that by pushing in -several feet of the board, and then deliberately breaking it off. - -He thereupon threw the larger piece aside, and, using the smaller, -which was now wedged in the door, he drew it out for some distance, and -then repeated his prying operations. - -This new weapon was much more convenient and less inclined to bend. -In fact, it proved to be unexpectedly sturdy, and, after repeated -attempts, into which he threw all his strength, the millionaire -presently succeeded in breaking the lock. - -The door was then quickly pushed back, and Griswold peered into the -interior of the garage. The place was comparatively dark at first, in -comparison with the bright sunlight outside, but a further shove at the -door let in more light, and revealed a figure propped up against the -lower wall. There was a gag in its mouth, its hands were evidently tied -behind its back, its ankles were bound, and a closer scrutiny revealed -that, in addition, it was tied to the wall in some way so that it could -not budge from its place. - -Almost immediately Griswold saw that it was not Nick Carter—or, -rather, the man whom he supposed to be Nick Carter. As he strode -forward, however, with an exclamation of pity, he did not recognize -the unfortunate, the lower part of whose face was obscured by the -handkerchief which was used as a gag. - -It was not until this was removed that recognition came, and when it -did, Griswold started back in amazement. - -“Simpson!” he cried. “What on earth are you doing here?” - -The man tried to speak, but seemed unable to articulate. Probably his -throat and tongue were too dry from disuse, and very likely the tongue -and lips were swollen as well. - -Griswold saw the difficulty, and did not repeat his question just then. -Instead, he proceeded rapidly to cut the cords which bound Simpson to -the wall, and also to sever the bonds about the ankles. - -The body sagged to one side from weakness, and when the millionaire -turned it over to get at the wrists, he found them encircled by -handcuffs, instead of ropes. - -“Great Scott!” he muttered. “This is certainly a strange state of -affairs.” - -It looked as if Simpson had been caught by Cray—or perhaps by Cray and -Nick Carter together—and that subsequently the detective had been set -upon by others. That would account for Cray’s condition, and it might -be that Nick had been carried off. Had the prisoner been locked in -the garage, however, before that attack had taken place? If not, it -seemed hard to explain, unless the mysterious assailants had not been -accomplices of his at all, but had worked independently. - -The newspaper proprietor propped Simpson up again, none too gently. - -“I can’t get these handcuffs off,” he said. “Speak, man, as soon as -you can, and tell me what happened? Where’s the money?” - -John Simpson looked about him as if he did not quite understand. As a -matter of fact, his experiences had left his faculties more or less -benumbed for the time being. - -Griswold had to repeat his question in a more peremptory tone. - -“The money is gone,” Simpson managed to say at last, after several -futile efforts and much moistening of the lips. “I—I had it here.” - -“Go on, go on!” Griswold urged, bending eagerly, with clenched hands. - -“I had come in the car to carry it away to—to a new hiding place I had -found,” the absconding treasurer explained with difficulty. “It was all -in the car—two suit cases full of it—when a couple of fellows pounced -on me.” - -“Two, eh?” - -“Yes, one was rather tall and very broad and powerful——” - -“Cray!” put in Griswold. - -“Yes, he told me that after I was handcuffed,” Simpson agreed, “and he -said the other man was Nick Carter.” - -“So Carter was here? I wonder what’s happened to him? When did the -others butt in, Simpson, and who were they?” - -The handcuffed man looked up at him in bewilderment. - -“I don’t know anything about any others,” he declared, with evident -sincerity. - -“But there must have been others. Cray was found outside here this -morning, with his head nearly mashed in. Didn’t you hear anything after -they shut you up. You didn’t go to sleep right away, did you, after -that sort of thing? Did you have any accomplice?” - -The treasurer shook his head in a dazed sort of way. “Nobody else had -any hand in what I did, Mr. Griswold,” he said. “As for falling asleep, -I guess you wouldn’t have done that very quickly if you had been in my -place. I did doze off after daylight, but that was all.” - -There could be no doubt that he was telling the truth. “Probably you -were in a deep, exhausted sleep when they found Cray,” he said. “The -yard seems to have been full of people then.” - -“I did hear a dog barking,” Simpson admitted finally. “It partially -aroused me, but I dropped off again. Maybe that was the time.” - -“Then you haven’t the slightest idea of what happened after you were -locked up here?” persisted Griswold. - -“Why, I guess I could explain that,” the thief replied slowly, as if he -were just beginning to realize what it all meant. “It must have been -Nick Carter who——” - -“Who did what?” - -“Who put the other fellow out of business.” - - - - - CHAPTER XXXIII. - - SUSPICION FALLS ON NICK. - - -“For the love of Heaven!” exclaimed Lane Griswold, in a shocked voice. -“You are crazy, Simpson, or lying! Do you actually mean to charge -Carter, who is one of the greatest detectives we have in this country, -and a man who is absolutely above suspicion in every way, with having -turned on his friend and associate, Cray, and then made off with the -money?” - -Simpson’s air was one of injury. “I’m not crazy, and I’m not lying,” he -answered. “I’m telling you, or am ready to tell you, just what I know, -and all I know. You’ve got me where you want me. Is it likely that I’d -do anything to get in deeper than I am?” - -“Then, tell me about it—everything.” - -“Well, it isn’t much, and I didn’t actually see anything. I heard -things, though—more than I was intended to, I guess. They tied me up -here, and then, while Carter was looking at the money in the suit cases -which I had already got in the car, Cray dug over there to make sure -that there wasn’t any of it still buried. When he got through, Carter -called him to come out, saying that he had something to tell him that -he didn’t want me to hear.” - -“Where was Carter then?” - -“He wasn’t in sight. He had stepped to the corner out there, just back -of where the car was. You can see that he could not have been many feet -from here, so it was easy enough for me to hear things.” - -“Well?” - -“Well, Cray went out, leaving the door open behind him. The next thing -I knew, I heard a queer sort of dull thud, and pricked up my ears. It -sounded as if somebody had been hit, perhaps with a fist, or, more -likely, with something else. - -“Of course, I didn’t know then which man had done it, but I suspected -that Carter had, because he had called Cray out. The blow must have -given Cray something to think about, for there was a pause before I -heard him say ‘Mr. Carter!’—just like that. He said it as if his best -friend had turned on him, and he didn’t know what to make of it. I -guess Carter must have tried to hit him again right away, for they had -a little tussle. It did not amount to much, because, as I figured it -out, Cray must have got a pretty nasty blow that first time, and there -wasn’t very much fight in him. He must have done something, however, -for the other fellow snarled, ‘Curse you; take that, then!’ and rapped -him again, as I could tell by the sound. Still Cray was not down and -out. They clinched, apparently, and then Cray muttered something, or -whispered it in a hoarse sort of whisper. I couldn’t hear all of it, -but it was something about ‘green-eyed.’ That seemed to make Carter -more furious than ever, so far as I could tell. He cursed Cray some -more, and seemed to strike him again and again. That was the end of -it. Carter locked me in then, and I think he dragged Cray around the -garage before he drove off.” - -Lane Griswold had been listening with all his ears throughout -this recital, his face the picture of amazement and incredulity. -Incidentally, his keen eyes seemed to search Simpson’s very soul. - -The man was a thief, and might easily be a liar as well. What possible -motive could he have for lying, however? The millionaire could think of -only one, and that seemed far-fetched. It was conceivable, of course, -that, despite all the probabilities, John Simpson might have had one or -more confederates who had struck down Cray, and carried the loot off -to some new place of concealment. In that case, the treasurer’s story -might be made up out of whole cloth. - -But after a brief mental consideration of this, the millionaire -rejected the theory. If Simpson had had any one to help him, surely he -would not have remained tied up there in a locked garage to starve, or -be caught by those who were searching for him. - -Even if he had actually been surprised and handcuffed by Cray before -the arrival of his friends, the latter would not have left him there to -such an uncertain fate. After giving the detective his quietus, they -would have carried Simpson off with them, handcuffs and all, and found -a means of releasing him later on. - -No, the man must be telling the truth. He had suffered great hardships, -and he was face to face with the employer he had defrauded. Surely, -he was not the sort of man to lie under such circumstances, especially -after having confessed to hiding the money under the earthen floor of -the garage. - -But if he had told the truth, and had not misinterpreted what he -heard—which seemed unlikely—what could it possibly mean, except that -the sight of so much gold had proved too much for the great detective, -and that he had turned criminal. - -Griswold faced the possibility very reluctantly, but he felt obliged to -face it. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more convinced he -became that it was the one and only solution. - -As a newspaper proprietor, he knew a great deal about the seamy side of -life, and was the custodian of many discreditable secrets which for one -reason or another had never been allowed to see the light of print. He -did not need any one to tell him that all is not gold that glitters, -or that a man is necessarily straight in every respect because he has -never been found out in any wrongdoing, and has always enjoyed the best -of reputations. - -As far as that went, this might not be Carter’s first fall from grace. -The detective was undoubtedly an extraordinarily clever man, and was -said to be wealthy. Might it not be that he had contrived for years to -deceive his clients, and fatten his bank account at their expense? - -The thought made Griswold gasp, but at the same time it caused his -heart to race with excitement. - -What a beat it would be if his papers could announce exclusively that -Nick Carter, one of America’s greatest detectives, and the so-called -“archenemy of criminals,” was in reality a master criminal himself! It -would cause a sensation, the like of which had never been known. - -Of course, Griswold confided none of this to the man before him. -Instead, with the instinct of the reporter, which had never deserted -him since his early days of struggle, he surprised Simpson with a -question. - -“Well, what do you make of it?” he asked. - -The thieving treasurer’s mind had reverted to his own troubles, and it -was with some difficulty that he pulled himself together sufficiently -to answer. - -“Why, I—I hardly know what to think, Mr. Griswold,” he replied. “It’s -pretty hard to reconcile that sort of thing with what I’ve always heard -and read about Nick Carter, but I have to believe my own ears, don’t I? -The money seems to have looked good to Carter, just as it did to me, -but that wasn’t all of it, I’m sure.” - -“What do you mean by that?” - -“I’m thinking about that whisper of the other fellow’s,” Simpson -explained. “I told you, remember, that he said something about -‘green-eyed.’ We use that expression in only one connection, don’t we, -in speaking of ‘green-eyed jealousy?’ Don’t that look as if Cray was -accusing Carter of turning on him because he was jealous of him for -some reason?” - -Griswold was impressed. “That sounds plausible enough,” he admitted. - -He was unconsciously allowing himself to be led still further astray, -and it began to look as if the outcome might be decidedly unpleasant -for the great detective, for the owner of a chain of great newspapers -is not an accuser who can be ignored or despised. - - - - - CHAPTER XXXIV. - - GRISWOLD IN COMMAND. - - -The millionaire remained lost in thought for a few moments longer, then -grasped Simpson firmly by the arm. - -“Come into the house,” he ordered. - -“But—but these, sir!” his former subordinate stammered, nodding over -his shoulder, and moving his hands so that the chain of the handcuffs -rattled. - -For the moment Griswold had forgotten his desire for secrecy. To be -sure, if he could expose Nick, he would be willing to have all the -facts come out, but he knew that he would have to be very sure of -himself and his facts before publishing any such charge against a man -of the detective’s reputation; consequently, he would have to delay, -in the hope that Cray would be able to tell his side of the story, and -until then it was desirable that no rumors should be set in motion. - -Therefore, he slipped off his motor coat and threw it like a cloak over -Simpson’s bowed shoulders. - -“Come!” he commanded again. - -And with shuffling steps, his head down, John Simpson accompanied him -to the house, but went through the kitchen, instead of going around to -the front door. - -“Thank Heaven!” the maid cried, as she caught sight of her employer. -“Mr. Simpson! Is it really you? I must run and tell Mrs. Simpson right -this minute!” - -“No, no, Mary!” the wretched man protested weakly. “Not—not yet! I wish -to surprise her.” - -Griswold had not told Simpson that the injured detective was in the -house, but now he led the thieving treasurer to the room in which Cray -lay. He said nothing about his object, because he wished to see if -Simpson would recognize the patient at once. - -If he did so without hesitation, and spoke of him as Cray, that would -go far to indicate the truth of his story, for if Cray had been struck -down under other circumstances, this unexpected sight of him might well -cause a momentary confusion. - -The spectacle was, indeed, unlooked for, but though surprised, Simpson -did not appear to be in the least embarrassed. - -“Yes, that’s the fellow who called himself Cray,” he said, with a nod. -“He was the one that jumped on me first, and the other, Carter, gagged -me. He certainly seems to be in pretty bad shape.” - -The doctor looked at him in the greatest surprise. He had never met -Simpson, for the latter had moved to the hill very recently. He knew -him by sight, however. - -“You may or may not know that this is John Simpson himself, Doctor -Lord,” the newspaper proprietor said bruskly. “I found him locked up in -the garage just now. I’ll make it worth your while, however, to keep a -discreet tongue in your head.” - -The young physician’s shoulders went back proudly. - -“I accept remuneration for professional services only, Mr. Griswold,” -he said crisply. “I hope I can be trusted not to blab anything I may -learn while attending a case.” - -“I meant no offense, I assure you, doctor,” Griswold hastened to say. -“I merely——” - -“Wished to remind me of something you should have taken for granted,” -the doctor cut in. “Please say no more about it, though.” - -Then Lane Griswold did another unexpected thing. He held out his hand -with an apologetic smile, and, after a moment’s hesitation, Doctor Lord -gripped it firmly. - -A moment later Griswold led Simpson into another room and closed the -door. - -“Look here, Simpson,” he said, without preliminaries, “I’ve been -grievously disappointed in you, but we’ll let that pass. I’m done -with you, and your dismissal is waiting for you at the office. I want -to hear no excuses. As for prosecution, however, you have doubtless -counted on immunity from that, and I regret to say that you haven’t -counted in vain—unless this new complication makes it worth while to -air the whole thing for the sake of a supreme newspaper sensation. For -your wife’s sake, I’ll let you know about that as soon as possible. -Meanwhile, I shall see that you are under observation all the time. You -can’t get away, for I may want you locked up. If I don’t, you’ll soon -be free to do what you please and go where you please.” - -“I—yes, sir,” was all Simpson was able to say, and he had to swallow -more than once before he could utter those words. - -“Now you had better go to your wife.” - -“But these handcuffs, sir!” Simpson again protested. - -“You should have thought of the possibility of such adornments before -you made away with that fund,” Griswold told him sternly. “Don’t -imagine that your wife doesn’t know what you have been up to, for -she does. Still, it isn’t her fault, and I would not like to see her -needlessly distressed. Perhaps there’s a key to the handcuffs in Cray’s -pockets.” - -There was, and Simpson was freed from the humiliating shackles before -he went upstairs to face his wife. - -Griswold watched his halting progress, then sought the young doctor -once more. - -“It’s important that this man should be able to talk as soon as -possible—if he’s ever going to,” he said. “If you desire to consult -with any one, no matter what his price, do so, and I’ll be responsible. -You may also look to me for your fee, and I wish you would get the best -of trained nurses you can procure—one whose discretion you can rely -upon. While you are with the patient, listen carefully for anything -he may say, and make a note of it, whether it seems delirious or not. -Request the nurse to do the same, and see that I’m notified by phone as -soon as Cray is able to be questioned for five minutes.” - -“Very well, Mr. Griswold.” - -“One thing more. If the patient should become lucid at any time, and -you or the nurse should have reason to believe that he may lapse into -this same condition in a few minutes, ask him just one question and -jot down his answer.” - -“And that question?” - -“Ask him who is responsible for his injuries—who struck him down.” - -Doctor Lord agreed to do so if the opportunity offered, and, after -coming to that understanding, the millionaire reëntered his waiting car. - -“New York,” he ordered, giving Nick Carter’s address. - - - - - CHAPTER XXXV. - - A TRAP IS SET FOR NICK. - - -Lane Griswold had telephoned to the detective’s house only once, and -then had been told that the detective had not returned since the -previous evening. It might be, however, that Nick was there by this -time. - -Nothing in Simpson’s story indicated that Nick had met with any mishap, -and it was improbable that a man of his daring and resourcefulness -would take to his heels at once simply because he had become a thief. -It was much more probable that he would return home and bluff it out to -the end. - -In that case, Griswold hoped to corner him, and, under threat of -country-wide exposure, force him to confess—after which an exposure -would be likely to follow, anyway. - -The millionaire’s face was flushed and determined as he strode up the -detective’s steps and pressed the electric button in peremptory fashion. - -Joseph, the butler, opened the door. - -“Is Mr. Carter in?” Griswold demanded. - -“No, sir,” was the prompt reply. “I can’t say when he’ll be back, -either.” - -“I telephoned from New Pelham a couple of hours ago,” Griswold went on. -“I was told then that he had left the house last evening, and had not -returned. Is that correct?” - -“Yes, sir.” - -“Don’t you know where he is?” - -“No, sir. He was going to New Pelham on the seven-thirty train, -however.” - -“He was, eh? That’s significant.” - -He had sized up the butler, and decided that he was telling the truth. -If necessary, he would try diplomacy. If he could get hold of Nick’s -assistants, he told himself, he might obtain some valuable pointers. - -To be sure, if the detective had been playing the -wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing part for any length of time, it was quite -conceivable that his assistants, or some of them, at least, were as bad -as he. If this were the first offense, however, it might be possible to -get one of his staff to turn against him, and assist in his capture, in -the hope of stepping into his shoes. - -“I’m Mr. Griswold, the owner of the _Chronicle and Observer_,” he told -the butler. “Perhaps you’ll remember that I was here yesterday with -Mr. Cray? I’m very anxious to see Mr. Carter himself, but one of his -assistants might do.” - -“None of them is here now, sir,” Joseph told him. “They’re all away -from the city for one reason or another. Mr. Carter’s chief assistant, -Mr. Chickering Carter, left for the Adirondacks with him just the other -day, and stayed up there when he returned unexpectedly.” - -“Carter’s leading assistant! He would be the best one!” thought -Griswold. - -Aloud he asked for Chick’s address. - -“Something has happened,” he explained. “Cray has been rather -badly injured, and I can’t seem to locate Mr. Carter. Under the -circumstances, I feel compelled to telegraph for this young man you -speak of, or else to call in some outsider.” - -In view of this explanation, it is not surprising that the butler gave -him the desired information, especially as he and Mrs. Peters had been -worrying somewhat over Nick’s unexplained absence. - -Armed with the address, Griswold lost little time in reaching the -nearest telegraph office, and in drafting a message to Chick Carter. It -read: - -“Unusually important case on. Am badly injured. Come at once.” - -And it was signed “Cray.” - -He had decided to send it in the injured detective’s name, believing -that it would have more force than if dispatched by a third party. The -absence of any specific directions for finding Cray was intentional. -Griswold had neglected to make any inquiries concerning the injured -man’s relatives, and did not even know where he lived. He had been to -his office, that was all, and he knew that to be a business building. - -He did not care to give the New Pelham address, because he hoped to -have a very confidential interview with Chick, and he did not care to -have it take place under Simpson’s roof; therefore, he had decided to -say nothing about it, and to meet Chick’s train—for he had estimated -the time required for the telegram to reach its destination, and could -easily look up the trains when he reached his office. - -It was then nearly one o’clock in the afternoon, and Chick could not be -expected before morning. Meanwhile, Griswold hoped for a summons from -New Pelham, but none came. - -Growing impatient, he telephoned late in the afternoon, and was -informed by the new nurse that there had been no change in Cray’s -condition, except one for the worse. He had sunken into a deep stupor. - -“Hang it all! I hope he isn’t going to die,” Griswold muttered. “If he -does, without recovering consciousness, I may not be able to fasten -this thing on Carter, after all, for I’m certain Simpson’s testimony -would not have any great weight, unless corroborated.” - -Later, the millionaire called up Cray’s office. He did not believe -the injured detective had any one to keep the place open during his -absence, but he wished to make sure, if possible, whether a message had -been received from Chick Carter or not. As he had expected, he found -the place closed. - -It then occurred to him to return to Nick’s house. The detective might -have put in an appearance; if not, it was possible that Chick had sent -a reply there, trusting that it would reach Cray indirectly. - -In this latter respect, his surmise was correct. Nick had not returned, -and Joseph’s worry had grown. On the other hand, a telegram had arrived -for Jack Cray, and Joseph was holding it; not knowing what else to do -with it. - -Griswold promised to deliver it, and took it in charge. In this way -he learned that his guess as to Chick’s train was correct. The young -detective wired that he would arrive in New York at eight-thirty the -following morning. - -Nothing developed in the interval, and a few minutes before -eight-thirty the next morning, Griswold took up his position at one -of the gates leading to the tracks in the great Forty-second Street -terminal. - -The train from the Adirondacks arrived at schedule time, and began to -disgorge, while the millionaire, who had obtained a description of -Chick from the butler, narrowly scanned the faces of the passengers as -they hurried through the gate. - -The newspaper proprietor did not have to wait long. He soon caught a -glimpse of an erect, keen-eyed, athletic young man, striding down the -platform, and carrying a heavy suit case, as if it were a featherweight. - -“That must be Chick Carter!” he told himself, with a nod of -satisfaction. - -But the next moment he gave a gasp, and a look of utmost bewilderment -spread over his face. - -He had caught sight of the man at Chick’s side, and feature for feature -it was the man whom Cray had called into consultation—was, in other -words, Nick Carter himself! - - - - - CHAPTER XXXVI. - - AT CROSS PURPOSES. - - -Staggered, his brain reeling under the shock, Lane Griswold was flung -clean off his balance. - -What was Nick Carter doing here? Had he hidden the money somewhere, and -hurried northward to join his assistant, as if nothing had happened? - -That must be it, and yet it hardly seemed possible that he could have -made the journey in that time. He would have had to leave New York in -the dead of night following the robbery, and if he had reached the -mountain resort in the far northern part of the State before Chick’s -departure, there could have been no time to spare. In other words, he -must have returned at once with his assistant. - -But what nerve to have returned at all, in the face of such a message -from the man who had been half killed by him! - -The detective could not know that the telegram had not been written or -dictated by his victim, and therefore, must expect to have to face Cray. - -It was incomprehensible, and yet there was Nick, beyond a doubt, and -more than that, he was looking as fresh and buoyant as possible. - -A policeman brushed past Griswold, and, with a quick movement, the -latter touched the officer on the arm. He would have Nick arrested, and -then—— - -“Yes, sir?” the bluecoat asked civilly. - -“That man!” the millionaire answered hoarsely, pointing toward the -approaching detective. “I must ask you to——” - -Then something stopped him. He remembered that he did not have enough -evidence as yet, and that it would be very unwise to press matters, -unless he were reasonably sure of proving his charges. - -“I—I’m mistaken!” he added confusedly. - -The policeman looked at him for a moment in disgust, then turned away -with a shrug of his shoulders, muttering something under his breath. - -Undecided, his thoughts in a turmoil, the newspaper proprietor stood -aside and allowed Chick and his companion to pass him. They had gone -hardly more than ten paces, however, before he suddenly made up his -mind to follow and have it out with the detective at once. - -He feared that it was a very foolish thing to do, under the -circumstances, especially as Chick might be in the secret as well; -nevertheless, he counted on his wealth and prominence to stay their -hands, no matter how hostile they might be. - -Just how he meant to proceed, he did not have the slightest idea as -yet, but impulse flung him after the pair, and he overtook them just as -they were about to step into a taxi. - -“Mr. Carter!” he said sharply. - -Both men turned. - -“That’s my name,” the older man replied, looking the millionaire over -coolly, as if he had never seen him before in his life. - -The scrutiny had not gone far, however, before a look of recognition -sprang into Nick’s eyes. - -“Ah!” he went on. “Mr. Griswold, is it not?” - -“You ought to know,” was the significant reply. “I called on you -yesterday, in company with Cray, and it was that which took you to New -Pelham night before last.” - -Nick looked from the newspaper proprietor to his assistant, and back to -Griswold again. - -“There seems to be a very strange misunderstanding here, Mr. Griswold,” -he said. “I have just returned from the Adirondacks, where we were -enjoying a little vacation. Chick, here, received a telegram from my -old friend, Jack Cray, stating that the latter had been seriously -injured in connection with an important case, and asking that Chick -return to New York at once. I did not understand why the wire hadn’t -been sent to me, but, of course, I decided to accompany my assistant. -If you know anything about Cray’s condition, I wish you would tell me.” - -The dignified, commanding Lane Griswold looked at the detective in a -half-dazed manner, and his lower jaw showed a tendency to drop. - -“You are the coolest proposition I ever expect to see, Carter!” he -said, with grudging admiration. - -It was clear that something extraordinary was in the air, and Nick -acted accordingly. - -“I don’t know in the least what you are hinting at, Mr. Griswold,” he -said, “and this is hardly the place for explanations. Will you do us -the honor of sharing our taxi with us? Perhaps we can come to some -understanding on the way home.” - -Certainly, there did not seem to be anything menacing in his attitude, -and in that of the younger detective at his side. Both appeared to be -genuinely mystified. Griswold attributed it to good acting, nothing -more, but after a few moments’ hesitation, he decided to accept the -offer. - -They would hardly dare attack him in a cab in broad daylight, and he -need not enter the detective’s house, if he did not choose to do so, -when they reached their destination. Accordingly, he bowed, and, in -response to Nick’s gesture, stepped into the taxi, after which the -others followed. - -“Now, you’ll greatly oblige us, Mr. Griswold, by explaining what you -are driving at,” Nick said, with courteous firmness. - -The millionaire was a little too impetuous now and then, and this was -one of the occasions. His reason told him that he had been misled -in some unaccountable way, and that this was the real Nick Carter, -but reason spoke in a very small whisper, and he did not choose to -listen—in fact, he hardly heard it. - -He had kept his rage and sense of injury bottled up, thus far, but now -it exploded. - -“I’m driving at just this, Carter,” he said hotly. “You are found -out—the game is up! I don’t know whether this is the first time -temptation has been too much for you, or not, but I have you where I -want you, you thief! Your spectacular career is at an end. My papers -have a circulation well into the millions, you know, and as soon as I -say the word, the greatest broadside of publicity that was ever fired -will be hurled at your crime of the night before last! Oh, you need not -glower at me! I’m not in the least afraid of you, and what I say, I -mean, as you will learn to your cost.” - -Any one who knew Nick Carter well would have seen that he was growing -dangerously warm, but the increasing tension was much more noticeable -in Chick. - -That young man wore his “fighting face,” and was bending forward -longingly, with twitching hands on his knees. - -Nick, seeing his assistant’s attitude and look, laid a restraining hand -on Chick’s arm. - -“Easy there, my boy!” he murmured, then turned again to Griswold. - -“I fear you are a little hasty, and will soon regret it, Mr. -Griswold,” he said as quietly as he could. “If I were not sure of your -identity, and inclined to believe that you are laboring under a very -serious misapprehension, I should not be so patient. I have been in -the Adirondacks for several days, and know nothing whatever of the -circumstances to which you allude.” - -“You lie!” replied the millionaire, his face purple. “You went to the -Adirondacks several days ago with your assistant, but you came back -alone. I have your own butler’s word for that. What’s more, I saw you -with my own eyes yesterday at your home, whither Cray took me.” - -Again Nick and his lieutenant exchanged glances. It was beginning to -look more and more serious. Had Nick not recognized the newspaper -proprietor at once, they might have supposed the man to be -irresponsible, despite his references to Cray, but that explanation -seemed out of the question in Griswold’s case. - -Yet, the alternative appeared to be just as far beyond belief. - -Had some one passed himself off as the detective under any ordinary -circumstances, it would have been easy enough to believe, for such -things had happened often enough in the past. The millionaire’s -statements, however, seemed to imply that some person had been passing -as the detective in his own house, and had done so in such a skillful -and thoroughgoing way that not only the servants, but even Jack Cray, -had been completely deceived. - -It was unbelievable, and yet what else were they to think? - -Chick had often seen the skin over his chief’s jaw and knuckles tighten -ominously, but he never remembered such a set, tense look as this one. - -Nick was beginning to realize that something unparalleled had -happened—something which struck directly at his honor and prestige—and -he was rising to the emergency. - - - - - CHAPTER XXXVII. - - GRISWOLD STILL DOUBTFUL. - - -The detective leaned forward in the taxi, and held Griswold’s eyes -commandingly. - -“That’s about enough of that, Griswold,” he said, with ominous quiet. -“I would advise you to restrain yourself. I’m not accustomed to being -approached in this way, and I’ve endured it thus far only because I’ve -made allowance for your obvious excitement. I supposed that a man in -your position would be sufficiently informed concerning me and my work -to have no such illusions, and sufficiently in command of himself to -conquer such heated impulse. A moment’s reflection ought to convince -you that my presence up the State for the last few days can easily be -verified. - -“And now, if you’ll come to your senses, I shall be more than eager to -hear what you have to say about this extraordinary experience of yours. -First, though, tell me how seriously my friend is injured.” - -During this speech, and for some moments afterward, the millionaire -newspaper man continued to gaze at the detective as if he were trying -to pierce his very soul, and when he withdrew his gaze at length, it -was only to shift it to Chick. - -“You almost persuade me,” he told Nick at last. “Either I’ve been -dreaming, though, or I’m dreaming now. This is the most amazing -thing that has ever occurred in my experience. I want to believe in -you, Carter, I assure you. I have all along, and it was only with the -greatest reluctance that I accepted the conclusion which seemed forced -upon me by circumstances which I could not question.” - -He paused for a moment, and then launched into an account of his -reasons for visiting Cray, the latter’s suggestion that they should -call upon Nick Carter and seek his aid, the interview in the -detective’s study, and so on. - -“I can’t see any difference,” he declared. “So far as I can tell, -you are the same man I talked with there, and don’t forget that Cray -himself was evidently convinced that he was talking with you. Later, -you—or the man I took to be you—phoned me and asked further particulars -concerning Simpson. I hoped for speedy results, of course, with the -case in such hands, but I heard nothing more until the next morning, -when I was informed that a man named Jones, who had represented himself -as connected with the _Chronicle and Observer_ office, had been -seriously injured in New Pelham. The description suggested Cray, and -I hastened up into Westchester County. I found that it was Cray, and -learned that he had been muttering your name. He had been repeatedly -struck on the head with some blunt instrument, and the doctor feared -a fracture. He had not really been conscious, though, and hasn’t been -yet, to the best of my knowledge. - -“I questioned Mrs. Simpson and the doctor, and learned that Cray had -been found in the back yard near one of those little portable garages. -Curiosity sent me out there, and, hearing a sort of groan, I broke -into the garage, and, to my amazement, found Simpson himself bound and -gagged.” - -He then went on to repeat the treasurer’s story of his capture, and the -unseen conflict that had taken place between Cray and his companion—the -man whom Jack had referred to as Nick Carter. - -Incidentally, he referred to the term “green-eyed,” which Simpson had -overheard. - -“Now, that’s pretty strong circumstantial evidence, isn’t it?” he -demanded at the conclusion. “If you are really Nick Carter, and can -prove that you haven’t been in New York for days, no one will rejoice -more sincerely than I—although it would cheat me out of a tremendous -news sensation. Frankly, though, I still find it almost impossible to -believe you, despite your attitude and your appearance of sincerity. -How could your own servants have been deceived? How could any one have -lived in your house for days without betraying himself in some way? How -could Cray, a detective himself, and an old friend, have been so blind?” - -Nick and his assistant had listened to the story with growing interest -and excitement. More than once they had exchanged meaning glances, but -when Griswold mentioned the compound word which had been part of Cray’s -last startled whisper, the faces they turned to each other were a study. - -It seemed impossible for them to keep silence any longer, but they -managed to do so until the millionaire had finished. - -“The ‘dead’ have come to life more than once, you know, in our -experience,” Nick said softly, looking at his assistant. - -Chick nodded. “Yes, that must be it, I suppose,” he agreed. “I was -thinking all along that I knew of no one else who would possibly have -turned such a trick, and when it came to that ‘green-eyed’ business——” - -“There wasn’t much room left for doubt,” Nick supplied. - -“What in thunder are you two talking about?” Griswold broke in. - -“Have you ever heard of Ernest Gordon, familiarly known as Green-eye -Gordon?” the detective asked him. - -“Of course. I read my newspapers more carefully than any one else -does. Good heavens! Is it possible that you think Gordon could have -impersonated you?” - -Nick nodded. - -“That’s precisely what I feel obliged to think,” he answered. - -“But—but Gordon is in prison, isn’t he? No, by Heaven, he’s dead! I had -forgotten for the moment, but he died in that fire up at Dannemora a -short time ago. Don’t you remember?” - -“That was the report,” Nick admitted readily, “and naturally I accepted -it at the time, as every one else did. This astounding information you -have just given me, however, puts a very different face on the matter. -I believe Gordon would have been capable of that sort of thing—in -fact, I have evidence of similar stunts pulled off by him in the past. -Furthermore, I know of no one else with a criminal record who would -have been capable of such a performance—and no one without a long -criminal experience would have dared do such a thing. Finally, we -have Simpson’s testimony, which seems plain enough to me. When Cray -was first attacked, he naturally assumed that his assailant was I, -and he spoke my name in dazed incredulity. The next moment, however, -overwhelming doubt would naturally have assailed him, and, under the -influence of that, he must have obtained a closer glimpse in some way. -Or it may be that the scoundrel betrayed himself unconsciously. Jack -was about all in by that time, but he had strength enough to whisper -his enemy’s name. He wasn’t talking about green-eyed jealousy, you may -be sure, but about Green-eye Gordon!” - -“Very ingenious,” Griswold admitted doubtfully. - -“How could such a mistake have been made at the prison, however? The -report of Gordon’s death has never been corrected.” - -“Probably because its inaccuracy has never been discovered,” Nick -told him. “A convict was burned unrecognizably, and the remains were -identified only by the number on the coat. Another convict escaped and -hasn’t been recaptured. Isn’t it easy enough to believe that a man of -Gordon’s stamp might have seen a fellow prisoner succumb to the choking -fumes, and, under cover of the excitement, might have managed to -exchange coats without being discovered?” - - - - - CHAPTER XXXVIII. - - NICK DISCOVERS HIS LOSS. - - -“By George!” ejaculated Lane Griswold. - -He was beginning to see light. - -“Is this Gordon of the same height and build as yourself?” he asked -eagerly a moment later. - -“Quite near enough for the purpose, as I recall,” Nick replied. “More -than that, he’s a master of make-up, and would have had very little -trouble in copying my features. His eyes are light, nondescript, to be -sure, but——” - -“Then I don’t see how it would have been possible for him to have -fooled everybody in that fashion,” the millionaire objected. - -“The human eye is far from perfect, Mr. Griswold,” Nick reminded -him. “Besides, we have to allow always for the action of the mind -behind it—that mind which interprets everything it sees. In short, -we generally see what we expect to see. Such a successful masquerade -appears little short of miraculous to one who isn’t a special student -of such things, but it’s far from an impossibility. My butler and -housekeeper, and Cray himself, had no reason to suppose that it was not -I they were seeing; therefore, as I had been a familiar sight to them -for years, they would never have thought of examining the masquerader. -They merely gave him fleeting glances, and as those glances did not -detect any glaring defect, that was all there was to it.” - -Nick paused and smiled. - -“Well, are you as sure as ever that I’m a rascal?” he asked. - -The newspaper proprietor held out his hand with an embarrassed air. - -“I’m afraid you’ll never forgive me, Mr. Carter, for making such an -accusation,” he said apologetically. “You may be sure I shall never -forgive myself. I ought to have known better, of course, and I’m very -much ashamed that I didn’t.” - -“Say no more, please!” the detective cried heartily, grasping the -millionaire’s hand and giving it a good shake. “I don’t blame you—I -can’t. There didn’t seem to be any other way out. Here we are, though, -at the house. Will you come in, Mr. Griswold? Then, a little later, we -can go up to New Pelham together, if you wish, and see if poor Cray is -any better? Naturally, I’m anxious to get his side of the story, in -order to make sure that he really did identify Green Eye.” - -“That program suits me,” Griswold responded. “Naturally, if a man of -Gordon’s stamp has got hold of the fund, the chances of recovering the -money are slimmer than ever, and if you are willing to undertake the -case, there’s no time to be lost.” - -“Of course, I shall undertake it,” Nick assured him. “You could not -drive me off with an ax. My honor and reputation are involved, and, -under the circumstances, I shall refuse to accept a fee. - -“No, that’s final,” he insisted, in response to Griswold’s objections. -“I trust, however, that you will fully recompense Cray, no matter -whether he does anything more or not. He has earned it.” - -They had reached the detective’s study by that time, and Nick and his -lieutenant were gazing about curiously. In a moment the former stepped -forward and snatched up a pair of gloves that lay on the desk. - -“Look here, Chick!” he cried. “These are from my room up in Harlem. I -see I shall have to move it. I didn’t dream that any one had discovered -it, but Gordon must have done so, it appears, before he was sent up.” - -Chick, meanwhile, had approached the safe, and was just about to -examine it, when his chief called his attention to the gloves. Now he -returned and pushed away the chair that Green Eye had placed in front -of it. - -“Good heavens, chief!” he ejaculated a moment later. “He’s broken into -your safe!” - -Nick reached the spot in one bound, and, after glancing at the -makeshift which Green Eye had employed to hide his handiwork, he pulled -the great door open, and, bending, pressed the spring that operated the -inner one. - -The latter in turn clicked open, was seized, and drawn back. - -A momentary glance revealed several empty pigeonholes, and a confused -mass of papers in others. - -“Merciful Heaven!” exclaimed Nick, clenching his fists and raising them -aloft, while his face became as white as a sheet. “The fiend has taken -what he wanted here! I wouldn’t have had this happen for anything in -the world. It means—Heaven knows what it doesn’t mean!” - -His assistant realized only too well what the catastrophe foreshadowed, -but, for the time being, he was stricken dumb. He could only look from -Nick’s shocked face to the gaping safe. - -But, of course, Griswold did not fully comprehend, and managed to put -his foot in it again. - -“It’s too bad that you have lost any valuable papers,” he said. “I have -lost eighty thousand dollars, though, and the sooner you get on the -trail of the fellow, the better.” - -Nick turned on him with a look of scorn. “What do I care about your -infernal eighty thousand dollars!” he demanded fiercely, his patience -exhausted at last. “It doesn’t amount to a row of pins—or oughtn’t -to, at any rate. The papers in this safe, though—the most valuable of -which have doubtless been stolen—involve the honor and peace of mind of -scores of men and women who are prominent in all walks of life. Don’t -you understand, man? They are my private and most confidential records, -covering the most important cases of years—records which would mean -hundreds of thousands of dollars to the blackmailer. And that isn’t -all, for if used in that way, as this fellow doubtless intends to use -them, and will, if he isn’t prevented at once, they will bring anguish -to a great many people. Finally, the fact that they have fallen into -unscrupulous hands will work me more harm than anything else could -possibly do.” - -His anger against Griswold had cooled while he was speaking, however. - -“But, fortunately,” he went on in a calmer tone. “We have every reason -to believe that your gold is in the same hands as my papers; therefore, -the trail isn’t likely to fork.” - -“That’s it,” Griswold agreed eagerly. “I beg your pardon again, Carter. -I didn’t realize what this loss meant to you and others. It gives you a -supreme incentive, however, to go after the fellow.” - -Before he could add more, the desk phone rang, and Chick answered it. - -“Yes, this is Mr. Carter’s house,” the young detective said. “You are -speaking from Mr. Griswold’s office? Yes, Mr. Griswold is here. Do you -wish to speak to him?... All right, I understand. I’ll tell him at -once. Good-by.” - -The receiver clicked back into its place, and Chick turned to the -expectant listeners. - -“They say that the doctor has phoned from Simpson’s house, at New -Pelham, Mr. Griswold,” he said. “Cray is conscious at last.” - -“Good!” ejaculated Nick. “You and I will go there at once, Chick. How -about you, Mr. Griswold? Will you come along?” - -“Certainly,” was the prompt answer. - - - - - CHAPTER XXXIX. - - CRAY’S LIPS ARE UNSEALED. - - -Despite his eagerness to see his friend Cray, and to get on the -fugitive’s trail, Nick remained at the house long enough to draft a -telegram to the warden of Clinton Prison, asking for further details -concerning the supposed death of Green-eye Gordon, and the escape of -one of the prisoners on the night of the fire. - -The message was given to the butler, who was asked to phone it at once -to the telegraph office. - -“They may have facts up there which they have been keeping from the -public,” Nick explained. “Even seemingly valueless facts may assume -great importance in the light of what has happened down here, for that -matter.” - -Meanwhile, one of Nick’s fastest cars had been ordered around, and now -the familiar honk-honk was heard. - -“There’s the machine,” Nick announced. “Come on.” - -It was plain to be seen that both Nick and his assistant were laboring -under unusual excitement. The chauffeur was instructed to push the car -to the lawful limit, and although he did so, with his usual skill, the -detective seemed to think the car was creeping. - -For miles and miles they had to traverse the streets of the city which -stretched out northward to the confines of the Bronx, and not until -these were passed, did they feel free to risk a faster pace—and even -then they had to slow down through the frequent villages. - -It was not in reality a long drive, however, and in less time than -Griswold had made the trip the morning before, they had covered the -distance. - -The chauffeur had slowed down considerably before entering the village -of New Pelham, but they were still going at a rapid rate, and Griswold -was obliged to raise his voice for his final instructions to the -chauffeur. - -“The top of the hill!” he called out, leaning forward and pointing, -while he held his hat on with the other hand. - -The usually easy-going millionaire was having some unusual experiences, -and had been pretty thoroughly shaken up in more ways than one. - -Straight up the hill that led from the heart of the village, the great -car raced, and Griswold added that it was the last house. A few moments -later the machine came to an abrupt, but quiet, stop in front of No. 31 -Floral Avenue. - -Quickly the three men alighted and hurried through the gate. The door -was opened almost immediately by the maid, and behind her stood Doctor -Lord, who had evidently been impatiently awaiting Griswold’s arrival. - -The doctor looked inquiringly at the others. - -“Carter, shake hands with Doctor Lord,” he said informally. “Doctor, -this is Nick Carter and this is Chick Carter, his assistant.” - -“I’m very glad,” the young physician said heartily, as he acknowledged -the detective’s greeting. “Frequently during the patient’s long stupor, -Mr. Carter, he mumbled your name.” - -“Just how is he?” Nick asked eagerly, and, for the moment, concern for -his friend weighed with him more than anything else. - -“He’s better,” was the reply. “He has taken the turn that I hoped for, -and now, although he may be laid up for some time, I think I may safely -say that the danger is over. You must not see him for long, however, -and you had better come at once. I’ve been afraid that he might lapse -into unconsciousness again before Mr. Griswold could get here.” - -“You have questioned him as I suggested?” the millionaire put in, as -they moved toward the door of the room in which Cray was lying. - -“Yes,” was the answer, “but he’s stubborn. He refuses to tell me -anything—said he would do so if he felt himself losing consciousness -again, but that he wanted to say what he had to say directly to Mr. -Griswold, if possible.” - -They had reached the door of the room by that time, and Lord stepped -aside to allow the others to enter. - -A nurse in a trim, crisp uniform was sitting beside the couch, but rose -and effaced herself quietly, thus giving Nick his first unobstructed -view of his friend. - -The burly detective seemed to fill the narrow couch, and yet he -appeared, somehow, shrunken. His face was still very pale, and the big, -hairy hand that lay on his chest had a suggestion of helplessness about -it. - -Cray turned his head slowly, and looked toward the door. Instead of -seeing merely the millionaire, as he had anticipated, he beheld two -other visitors, and identified them after a moment or two. - -“Mr. Carter!” he exclaimed weakly. “And Chick, too! Is it really you -this time, Carter? This is more than I hoped for.” - -He tried to raise himself on one elbow, but sank back faintly. - -“Lie still, old fellow!” Nick said, quietly stepping forward and taking -Cray’s hand. “You are gaining, and must hold on to what you have -gained. Take your time, though, about——” - -“I can’t take my time, Carter,” Cray said, feverishly clutching at -his friend’s hand with both of his. “This isn’t the worst yet. It was -Gordon—Green-eye Gordon—who did this to me, and he’s made off with two -suit cases crammed full of gold coins.” - -Nick saw that it would be necessary to cut the interview short, but he -wished to test Cray, if possible. It might be that Jack had forgotten -about the fire and the reports of Gordon’s death. If he were reminded -of that, he might not be so sure about the identity of his assailant. - -“But Gordon is dead, you know—burned to death in prison,” Nick said -quietly. - -“No, no! Don’t you believe it, Carter!” the patient insisted. “There’s -no mistake about it. I forgot about all those reports when he struck -me; they don’t cut any ice. I have thought about them since I woke up, -and I’m just as sure as ever that it was Gordon.” - -“What makes you so sure?” inquired Nick. - -“He forgot himself when he cursed me,” was the reply, “and I thought I -recognized the voice; then I caught a glimpse of his eyes, and I was -sure. There’s only one man with eyes like that—cat’s eyes. They looked -green as he glared at me. He knows I recognized him, because I said his -name just before I got my knock-out. Probably he thought he had killed -me, for I don’t believe he would have left me to tell the tale.” - -He paused for a moment, and one hand wandered weakly to his injured -head. - -“I’ll never get over the way I was taken in,” he went on, more faintly. -“Most humiliating. Must say, he’s a wonder, though. Never imagined -anybody could pull off a stunt like that. The car is an electric—a -coupé, two or three years old, I should say. The gold was in a couple -of suit cases which had been buried in the ground. Can’t tell you any -more, I’m afraid—just about all in, you see.” - -He looked about helplessly, and in a frightened sort of way, then, with -a sigh, lapsed into unconsciousness once more. - - - - - CHAPTER XL. - - NICK OUTLINES HIS CAMPAIGN. - - -In a moment Doctor Lord and the nurse were back at the patient’s side. - -“I must ask you gentlemen to go,” the physician said crisply. “This has -been too much for him, as it is, and any further excitement might cause -serious complications, if nothing worse.” - -There was nothing for it but to withdraw, and to hope that the effect -of the interview would not be as serious as the doctor suggested. - -Fortunately, the detective instinct had been strong in Cray, -notwithstanding his condition, and he had covered the ground pretty -thoroughly—surprisingly so, in view of the few words he had spoken. His -statement about the suit case, and his description of the car might -prove particularly valuable. - -Nick took pains to interview Simpson, his wife, and the servant before -leaving the house and then paid a visit to the garage. - -He smiled as he noted the subterfuge of the underground gasoline tank. - -“Quite clever, on the surface,” he remarked, “but Simpson seems to be -a queer mixture. He impresses you at one time with his cleverness, at -another with stupidity.” - -“I don’t see anything stupid about this,” Griswold objected. “It -strikes me as very ingenious. It permitted him to dig up the ground to -his heart’s content without arousing suspicion.” - -“True,” conceded the detective. “The ordinary person would have seen -nothing strange about it; but doesn’t the presence of a gasoline tank -underground, or any other kind, strike you as a little peculiar when a -man owns an electric?” - -The millionaire looked very sheepish. “I’m afraid I must plead guilty -to stupidity as well,” he confessed. “That didn’t occur to me, and I -doubt if it ever would.” - -The two detectives made a thorough examination of the little garage, -the ground about it, and the pile of lumber, as well as the road at the -rear. - -They found some finger prints, and photographed them carefully, after -bringing out other details by artificial means. They were inclined -to believe that some of them belonged to Gordon, and if so, their -discovery would prove valuable. Beyond that, however, they learned -little. - -“Well, we had better part company here, Chick,” Nick told his -assistant. “I’m going to let you pick up the trail of the electric car -and follow it, if you can. See if you can locate the machine. Probably -it has been abandoned long before this, for it would have to be -recharged before it could go very far. Doubtless, Green Eye remembered -that, and deserted it before such attention was necessary. Still, if -you can find where he dispensed with it, you can get a clew to his -subsequent movements, especially as he was burdened with a couple of -very heavy suit cases.” - -“Consider me on the job,” was Chick’s ready reply. “I’ll start work -right away, and keep going as long as the going is good. How about you, -though? What are you going to tackle?” - -“I shall return home at once,” Nick replied, “and go through the safe. -I must find out which records are missing, and when I have learned -that, I ought to be able to catch the rascal sooner or later.” - -“You mean that he’ll be sure to visit some of the people interested, -or write to them, and that you can nab him in that way?” his assistant -asked. - -“That’s the idea. If Green Eye hasn’t learned of our return—and I -sincerely hope he hasn’t—he won’t lose much time in getting to work at -the blackmailing business, and you may be sure he’ll choose some of the -most tempting of the local people for his first victims.” - -Chick held up his hand. “I get you,” he said. “That’s just what will -happen, unless he’s scared off, and he’ll work quickly, for fear you -may return earlier than you had expected, and get wind of the whole -thing. Alongside of that, my job seems pretty punk, but you’re the -general.” - -“Your job is a necessary one, and we may need all the dope on Green -Eye’s movements that we can get,” Nick told him. - -Very shortly afterward they separated, Chick remaining behind, while -Nick and the millionaire reëntered the car and started back to the city. - -Very little was said on the journey. To be sure, Griswold seemed -willing enough to keep the conversational ball rolling, but he soon -found that Nick was of a different mind. He was glad, therefore, when -the detective’s house was reached, and Nick stepped out of the machine, -after instructing the chauffeur to take Griswold wherever he wished to -go. - -“You think you can catch him, then?” the millionaire asked in parting. - -Nick gave him a strange look. “If I fail in this, I’ll shut up shop,” -he replied. - -It was said rather lightly, but Griswold was a shrewd student of -character, and knew that famous Nemesis of criminals was in deadly -earnest. - - - - - CHAPTER XLI. - - WAITING FOR A NIBBLE. - - -Nick Carter hardly knew what to do about the members of his household. -They had not yet been informed of the way in which they had been taken -in, and it was difficult to decide whether they should be or not. After -some reflection, however, the detective decided to say nothing about -it, for the present. - -They accepted his presence as a matter of course, just as they had done -in the case of the impostor, and if he told them the truth, they would -be plunged into a state bordering on panic. - -Moreover, if Gordon should take a notion to return to the house, after -such a revelation, it would be almost impossible for the butler, -housekeeper, and the rest to be their natural selves in his presence. -If they betrayed their knowledge, they might scare him off just when -Nick wished him to be most at his ease. - -Nick entered his study, and, after walking up and down for a few -minutes, seated himself in his desk chair. - -There was a tenseness about his look and every movement he made. He -was like a perfectly trained athlete, crouched for a start of some -record-breaking dash. - -The famous detective was well acquainted with danger, and to risk -his life was an easy matter of everyday occurrence. He took up the -most serious and dangerous cases without a thought of the possible -consequences to himself. Here, however, was something different. - -This came nearer home, perhaps, than anything else had ever -done, for, through him the honor and peace of mind of numbers of -persons—conspicuous targets, all of them—were threatened. - -Too late the detective recognized that his reputation was not enough -to protect his house and his private safe from violence, and that -he had no right to keep such records there. They should all be in a -safe-deposit vault. - -The reports of his ordinary cases might continue to be kept in his -steel filing cabinets, where they were available for ready reference, -but those concerning persons of wealth and position—men and women who -were tempting prey, and whose secrets, if revealed in the newspapers, -would cause a widespread sensation—must be better protected in future. - -That, however, would not help the present situation which Nick was now -forced to face. - -He actually shrank from going over the disarranged papers which Green -Eye had left behind, but after a little delay he forced himself to open -the safe, empty the remaining pigeonholes, et cetera, and dump their -contents on the desk. That done, he sat himself down and went to work. - -Fortunately, there was a comparatively small number of papers of -that description in the safe, therefore it did not take very long to -go through them and check off those which remained—for the methodical -detective had a list of all of them. - -In this way, by a process of elimination, Nick quickly learned the ones -which had been stolen, and his expression grew grimmer than ever as he -realized the shrewdness of Gordon’s choice. - -Most of the missing papers concerned individuals or families in -and around New York, which seemed to imply that a quick clean-up -was contemplated. Some few, though, involved persons farther away, -and these appeared to have been selected because they had offered -particularly tempting bait to the blackmailer. - -It needed only the brief entries in the index to bring back to Nick’s -mind all of the important details of each case, and he ground his teeth -as he pictured the scoundrel gloating over those same details, and -cleverly scheming to demand the top price for their suppression. - -“What a haul!” he murmured aloud. “All those papers, and seventy-five -or eighty thousand in gold, to boot! If it’s really Ernest Gordon with -whom we have to deal—and I’m morally certain it is—he must be drunk -with joy, for he has made blackmailing an art, and he could not ask -anything bigger or more promising of that sort. In his calmer moments, -though, he must realize that he won’t have the chance to hold up many -of these people. - -“Doesn’t he know that the first man he approaches will in all -probability come running to me to demand an explanation, if nothing -more? And hasn’t it occurred to him that I would receive an urgent -summons home under such circumstances? Well, if it has, he’ll see all -the more reason for striking while the iron is hot.” - -He had put the papers away temporarily, intending to find a safer place -for them at the earliest opportunity, when the butler entered the study -with a telegram. It proved to be from the warden at Clinton prison, and -was a long one—sent “collect,” of course. - -It contained certain new and significant, though minor, details -concerning the supposed death of Green-eye Gordon, and the escape of -the yegg from Buffalo, which served to confirm Nick’s suspicions, but -the most striking thing about the message was the tone of it. It gave -the impression that the warden had been doubtful, or was doubtful now -concerning the identity of the man who had been burned. He did not say -so, of course, but Nick could read doubt between the lines. - -Obviously, the identification had been a very careless one, or else the -prison authorities had deliberately winked at the misleading statement -which had found their way into the newspapers. Very likely they took it -for granted at first that the partially burned body was that of Gordon, -and afterward preferred to hush the thing up rather than let it be -known that there was any reason to believe that the redoubtable Green -Eye had escaped. - -“Well, that settles it, I think, for all practical purposes,” the -detective told himself. “Cray’s identification was a very hasty one, -made under very unfavorable circumstances, but when it’s taken in -connection with this transparent telegram, and especially in connection -with the nature, daring, and adroitness of the crime itself, it seems -safe enough to conclude that Ernest Gordon is the man I must look -for—and find.” - -Which would be the best course, though? To warn those who might be -expected to be approached by the criminal, or to wait until they came -to the detective? - -After some thought, Nick decided on the latter course. Naturally, he -did not wish that every one concerned should know what had happened, -for that seemed unnecessary. He believed that Gordon would concentrate -on a few intended victims at first, and if the detective could discover -who those persons were, he ought to be able to trap the rascal without -allowing the others to know what had threatened them. - -It was his confident belief that practically every one who might be -visited or written to by the blackmailer would try to get in touch with -him—Nick Carter—at once. That made him willing to play this waiting -game—at least, for a time. - -“The first one who communicates with me,” he thought, “should give me -a line on the fellow’s methods and plans. No one is likely to yield to -his demands on the spot, and if I can learn of a proposed rendezvous -or two, the rest should be fairly plain sailing—unless the scoundrel -learns of my return and plays dead for a while.” - -He had reached this point in his musings when he heard a furious ring -at the doorbell. - -“Possibly that’s the first of the victims now,” he thought. “If it is, -I must prepare myself for some more or less well-grounded reproaches. I -can stand them, though, if in addition I’m put on the track of the man -I want to lay my hands on more than I ever wanted to lay them on any -one else.” - - - - - CHAPTER XLII. - - THE FIRST VICTIM. - - -Shortly afterward the butler knocked at the study door and opened it. - -“Mr. Chester J. Gillespie to see you, sir,” he announced. - -Before Nick could reply, or the butler could get out of the way, for -that matter, the young man named pushed into the room, his face pale -with agitation. - -“You must help me, Mr. Carter!” he cried excitedly. “I——” - -He paused as Nick motioned the butler to withdraw and close the door. -When the servant had complied, Nick said quietly: - -“Sit down, Mr. Gillespie. I’m very sorry to learn that some one has -attempted to blackmail you, but there’s no necessity for such great -haste.” - -His caller had started to take a chair, but paused with his hand on the -back of it, and stared at Nick in the greatest amazement. Presently, a -spot of angry red appeared in each pale cheek, and his rather weak jaw -thrust out aggressively. - -“By Heaven!” he breathed. “I believe you are in league with the fellow. -I’ll swear I do! How otherwise could you know that——” - -“That will be about enough of that, Gillespie!” the detective said -sternly. He had heard too many such accusations in the last few hours. -“If you have come to me for help, as your rather abrupt opening words -would seem to indicate, let me warn you that you are not furthering -your case by insulting me.” - -“I—I beg your pardon, Mr. Carter,” the bewildered young man stammered. -“I didn’t mean it, of course, but you are positively uncanny, and I -could not understand how——” - -“It’s very simple, though,” Nick told him. “I’ve been robbed of some -papers, unfortunately, and those dealing with your case are among them. -Naturally, therefore, when you rushed in in that fashion, I concluded -that the thief had tried to bleed you.” - -“Oh! So that was it?” Gillespie murmured somewhat sheepishly. Again his -anger and sense of injury got the upper hand. “Then it’s you I have to -thank for this, after all!” he cried. “I supposed my secret safe with -you, as safe as if it were buried with me. Now, you calmly announce -that it has been stolen from you. This is too much, Carter! Can’t you -keep your papers where they will be safe? What right have you got to -preserve such records, anyway? Why don’t you destroy them for the sake -of your clients? It’s unbearable! This will be the ruin of me! If -Florence finds out about it, she will refuse to marry me, and——” - -The detective held up his hand commandingly, and the young man—he did -not appear to be over twenty-five—lapsed into silence. - -“I have already told you, Gillespie, that I profoundly regret what -has happened. You are forgetting yourself, though, and wasting time. -I already know who made away with those papers, and, with your -assistance, I hope to lay a trap for him that will bring his schemes -to an end very quickly. I think I can promise you that there will be -no publicity, and that nothing need interfere with your approaching -marriage. Now, tell me precisely what has happened.” - -Young Gillespie was several times a millionaire, having inherited a -large fortune from his father a year or two before. The responsibility -thus imposed upon him had sobered him down in a remarkable manner, and -he was looked upon in certain quarters as one of the coming leaders in -the financial world. Before his father’s death, however, he had sown a -lot of wild oats of one sort or another, and it was in connection with -one of these youthful escapades that Nick had been called in about four -years previously. - -The affair threatened to be very serious, for the time, but the -detective’s skill had been brought to bear in a surprising manner, with -the result that everything had been smoothed out as well as possible -without the vaguest rumor having got abroad. - -The young man fumbled in his pocket with a gloved hand, and produced a -sheet of notepaper, the top of which had obviously been cut away. - -“That was found under the door when the house was opened up this -morning,” he said. “Here’s the envelope. It was not stamped, of course.” - -Nick smoothed out the sheet of paper and looked at the sprawling, -uncertain writing that covered it. He read: - -“I know all about the affair of four years ago. My price for silence is -one hundred thousand dollars. Have it ready when I call, or pay it to -any one who may present an order from me. Don’t think you can stop this -by trying to have me arrested. You will fail, and the whole story will -come out. I have fully arranged for its publication, no matter what -happens to me. The money is the only thing that will buy my silence. -Pay it, and your secret is safe. What is more, you will never hear from -me again. Refuse to pay it, and—ruin!” - -It was a bold letter, but Nick saw that it was nothing but a bluff. He -said as much. - -“I hope you haven’t been deceived by this,” he remarked, tapping the -sheet. “This fellow is working alone, you may be sure, and, therefore, -it isn’t at all likely that he has ‘arranged’ anything of the sort -in case he should be arrested. By this, as you ought to know, the -newspapers would not publish a story about you without warning. You -have too much money and too many friends. You would have an opportunity -to bring your influence to bear, and the story would be killed.” - -“That sounds plausible enough,” Gillespie admitted. “That’s what -I would tell any one else in my position, if he were similarly -threatened. When this sort of thing comes home to a fellow, though, it -makes a lot of difference.” - -“I know,” the detective replied, with a nod. “That’s the sort of mood -such a scoundrel counts on.” - -He paused and thoughtfully fingered the letter. - -“I must confess that this is a disappointment,” he resumed slowly. “I -had hoped that the blackmailer would set a definite time for his call, -or ask you to take the money to some specified place. This, however, -avoids anything of that sort, and leaves me nothing definite to go on. -All it tells us is that he expects to call at some unnamed hour—perhaps -to-day, perhaps to-morrow, perhaps not for several days. I think we -need not bother about the hint that he may send some one with a written -order, for if such a person presented himself, I feel sure it would be -the blackmailer, and no other. This absence of details, however, makes -it rather difficult to know just what to do.” - -“How would this do?” Gillespie said hesitatingly. “You are a genius -at make-up. Why don’t you pass yourself off for me? Go to my place on -Fifth Avenue and wait for this fellow, whoever he is, to call? The -chances are that he won’t put it off very long, and even if you had to -remain there a couple of days, you would not mind, would you, if you -could nab your man at the end of your wait?” - - - - - CHAPTER XLIII. - - AN ASTOUNDING RUSE. - - -Gillespie went on more confidently: “It ought to give him the shock of -his life to think he’s dealing merely with me, and then to have you -reveal yourself to him. Of course, we could both stay there, and you -could walk in and collar him while he was holding me up, but I’m afraid -he may be watching the house. In that case, he would be suspicious -if he saw any one else going in and not coming out again, no matter -whether he recognized you or not.” - -Nick smiled slightly. “You must have been reading detective stories -lately, Gillespie,” he commented. “However, it isn’t a bad idea, and -I’m inclined to try it. There are certain other advantages about it -which make it appeal to me. How about you, though? You would have to -remain here as long as I found it necessary to stay at your place.” - -“Oh, that’s all right. I don’t mind. I’ll promise to keep out of sight, -and if I have to stay overnight, I suppose I can find a bunk somewhere, -if you’ll explain my presence to your servants.” - -“You certainly can,” Nick assured him; “and let’s hope that you won’t -have to kick your heels here very long.” - -The detective conducted him into another room, and, seating him in -the light, proceeded to busy himself with his make-up materials and -appliances. At the end of half an hour, the transformation was complete. - -“Will this do?” asked Nick, turning from the glass and facing his -visitor. - -“By Jove, marvelous!” Gillespie cried enthusiastically. “By the time -you’ve got into my clothes, you’ll be able to pass for me anywhere. -Luckily, there’s only my old butler, Simms, and his wife, at the house, -as I’ve been abroad, and was not expected home as yet. The chauffeur -outside is a new man, and has never seen me before.” - -“Good!” Nick answered. “Now for the clothes.” - -Soon the disguise was complete, and after another careful inspection of -himself, Nick was ready to leave. - -“I’ll explain matters to my people here as I go out,” he said. “Come -this way and I’ll show you the room you may occupy in my absence. I -hope you’ll find it comfortable. Don’t hesitate to ask for anything you -want, and I’ll let you know as soon as there’s anything to report.” - -After conducting his guest to one of the spare bedrooms, the detective -parted with Gillespie, and ascended the stairs. Five minutes later he -stepped into the waiting car as if he owned it. - -“Home!” he ordered, and the machine whirled away in the direction of -upper Fifth Avenue. - -Meanwhile, from behind one of the curtains at the front of the -detective’s house, the young man had seen the car drive off, and as -it passed out of sight, a remarkable change came over him. He threw -back his head and laughed in a curiously noiseless way that many an -ex-convict has. - -He laughed until the tears rolled down his cheeks, and at last flung -himself into a chair and fairly panted for breath. At length, he -recovered himself and wiped his eyes. Simultaneously, his face took on -harsher lines. - -The fresh complexion of youth seemed singularly out of place now, for -age and experience—and evil—peered through the veneer. - -Had there ever been any doubt about Green-eye Gordon’s daring, there -could be none any longer, for this was the criminal himself. - -In some manner best known to himself, he had managed to learn of -Nick’s return, and had taken this extraordinary means of fooling the -detective—an example of supreme audacity, in which he was manifestly -taking the greatest delight. - -He expected to kill more than two birds with the one stone. - -“Oh, what a sell!” he thought. “How are the mighty fallen! You don’t -happen to know, my dear Carter, that the real Chester Gillespie is -still abroad, and that while you are waiting for your bird in that -gloomy old mansion across from the park, your enterprising little -friend Ernest will be tapping the various other sources of income as -rapidly as he can.” - -Nevertheless, when the first flush of triumph had passed, there seemed -to be an undercurrent of uneasiness in the scoundrel’s mood and manner. -Doubtless, he knew that in boldness lay his only hope, but perhaps he -allowed himself to fear for the time being, that even boldness would be -insufficient in the long run against such an antagonist. - -Apparently, the great detective had been completely taken in by this -latest astounding ruse, but very likely Gordon realized that he was in -the lion’s mouth, and that there was no knowing when the jaws might -close with a snap. - -Some time after Green Eye returned to Nick’s study, the door opened, -and Chick entered. He did not look any too well satisfied with his work -thus far. - -“I beg your pardon,” he said, halting at sight of the supposed -Gillespie. “I didn’t know any one was here. Are you alone?” - -“Yes,” Gordon answered coolly. “Mr. Carter has gone out. I think he -left word for you with the butler, but I might as well explain that -he’s absent on an errand for me, and that I’m to remain in more or less -close confinement here until he returns.” - -And in response to a look of surprise on Chick’s face, he explained a -little further: “If you wish to call him up——” - -“No, not now,” Nick’s assistant interrupted quietly. “I have nothing to -report as yet.” - -That was good news to Gordon, for he felt sure that Chick had been -trying to pick up some clew to the whereabouts of the electric car, and -if so, it was plain that he had failed to make any headway. - -“Well, I’ll leave you in possession here and go into the room Mr. -Carter placed at my command,” Green Eye remarked easily, rising to his -feet and helping himself to another of Nick’s cigars. “If there’s no -objection, I shall appropriate some writing materials.” - -Chick supplied him with paper, envelopes, et cetera, and assured him -that the study was his to use if he wished, but the visitor would not -consent to “be in the way.” Three minutes later, he was in the bedroom, -with the door closed. - -Quickly he removed the tapestry cover and droplight from the small -table between the windows, and, drawing up a chair, set to work. - -It was clear that his desire to write some letters was genuine enough, -and the fact that he cut the engraved headings from several sheets of -paper suggested that the privacy of the room was welcome. - -At the end of an hour he was still writing, and beside him were several -sealed and stamped envelopes addressed to a number of well-known names. -The campaign was going forward. - -“I shall have to find some means of getting rid of this man Chick -Carter, though,” Green Eye told himself, as he finished one of the -letters and leaned back in a chair. “These fellows I have written to -will come flocking here before long, and I must be Nick Carter again, -in order to receive them properly.” - - - - - CHAPTER XLIV. - - NICK’S SUSPICIONS CONFIRMED. - - -If the criminal could have read Nick Carter’s mind about that time, he -would have been still more uneasy—and with good reason. - -Ernest Gordon had not been the only one who had played a part during -the interview which had ended in the detective’s act of copying his -caller’s features, and borrowing his clothes. - -For the first few minutes, it must be confessed that the detective was -completely deceived. He knew Green Eye to be a master of surprises, -but it had not occurred to him to suspect that the clever rascal would -resort to anything so spectacular. - -Besides, Gordon had placed himself so that the light did not fall -strongly. - -It was not until the caller suggested a change of identities that the -detective began to question. It was very seldom that a client presumed -to offer such assistance, and Nick’s knowledge of Chester Gillespie had -not prepared him for such a proposition. He gave no evidence, however, -that the seed of suspicion had been planted, but fell in with the -suggestion, knowing that in carrying it out, he would have the best -possible opportunity of studying his visitor. - -He noted a slight hesitation on the latter’s part when he had asked -him to take his place in the brightest light obtainable, and the -subsequent scrutiny had soon confirmed his suspicions. “Gillespie” was -plainly Ernest Gordon. - -No make-up could have stood that test—at least, with Nick Carter at the -observer’s end. - -“What fools the cleverest of us are sometimes!” the detective thought, -with an inward chuckle. “Gordon has such a good opinion of himself, and -is so certain that a man needs only to be daring enough in order to -carry everything before him, that he’s actually willing to undergo this -sort of thing—and he thinks he’s getting away with it!” - -It was no part of the detective’s plan, however, to reveal his -knowledge of the deception. He wished to give the masquerader as much -rope as he could, in order to find out just what Gordon was trying to -do. Moreover, he was curious to visit Gillespie’s house and find out -how Green Eye had succeeded in making himself at home there. - -Gillespie might have been overpowered and stowed away somewhere, or -even murdered—though that was unlikely, unless the crime had been -committed owing to an accident or miscalculation on Gordon’s part. - -When the detective reached Gillespie’s house on Fifth Avenue, he found -the situation just as Gordon had described it. An aged butler answered -the bell, and, save for him, the big house seemed deserted. - -Nick was about to question the old man in a roundabout way in order to -discover, if possible, whether there had been anything which might -seem suspicious or not. Before he could do so, however, the butler -offered a couple of letters on a salver. - -Nick took them after a second’s hesitation, studying the butler’s face -as he did so. From the man’s squint and the lines about the eyes, he -saw that the butler was nearsighted. Probably he had been in the family -for a long time, but this defect in his eyesight explained his failure -to detect the deception. - -But where was the real Chester J. Gillespie, whose second double was -now entering his house, and calmly inspecting his letters? - -Gordon had given Nick certain necessary particulars concerning the -arrangement of the house, and, thanks to these, the detective mounted -the stairs with the utmost assurance, leaving the nearsighted old -butler bowing in the lower hall. - -He found his way to Gillespie’s private room easily enough, the letters -still in his hand. After looking about him curiously, and noting -the certain evidences of recent occupancy, he sat down and glanced -mechanically at the letters. - -One of them obviously was a business communication, but the other was -not. - -The envelope was unusually large, and of the finest texture. As for the -writing, it was big, heavy, and sprawling. - -In the lower left-hand corner were the words, “Important—please -forward,” and they were heavily underscored. - -All is fair in love and war, they say, and if that is so, all is fair -in detection as well, especially when the detective is trying to -safeguard the man whose identity he has temporarily appropriated. - -Under the circumstances, therefore, Nick felt justified in opening any -of Gillespie’s correspondence that seemed to promise a solution of the -mystery, just as he would have ransacked the house for a similar clew. - -There might be nothing in it, of course, but this letter appeared to be -somewhat out of the ordinary, and might be valuable. - -Consequently, after a little hesitation, Nick ripped the envelope open -without the slightest attempt at concealment, and drew the inclosure -out. Soon he was very glad that he had done so, for the letter read as -follows: - - “DEAR OLD LUNATIC: You do not seem to have improved in the matter of - memory or level-headedness. You write me from some unpronounceable - place in South America—I judge solely from the postmark—and do not - tell me where to find you. How the dickens can I join you down there - for a month’s shooting, if you do not give me more particulars? I know - you too well, you see, to imagine for a moment that you stayed more - than a day or two at the place from which you wrote. That was nearly - two weeks ago, and by this time you may be thousands of miles away - from there. - - “Your letter was forwarded to me up here in Maine, and the best thing - I can think of doing is to send this to your New York address, in - the hope that it will be forwarded to you with as little delay as - possible.” - -There was a little more of it, but the rest does not matter. It was -signed by a well-known young man about town. - -So that was it, was it? The only original Chester Gillespie was still -down in South America, and only about two weeks before had written to a -New York friend, inviting him down for a month’s shooting. That argued -that he did not expect to return for many weeks. In some manner, Gordon -must have learned that interesting fact, and, seemingly, had disguised -himself as Gillespie, with the aid of a photograph or photographs of -that young man. - -So much for the way the trick had been sprung. For the rest, there -was no doubt in Nick’s mind as to Green Eye’s further intention. The -criminal had learned of the detective’s return, and had guessed what -Nick’s plan of campaign would be. - -In other words, he had concluded that Nick had the index of the records -in the safe, and could easily find out which ones were missing. Knowing -by that means where danger threatened, Nick could set a trap for the -blackmailer, with the help of one or more of the latter’s prospective -victims. - -“He knew just about what to expect,” the detective mused, “and when -he found that Gillespie was out of the country, having left only a -couple of old people in charge of the house, he hit upon this scheme of -circumventing me. If he’s left alone, he’ll find some means of sending -Chick off on a wild-goose chase, or otherwise dispose of him, and then -he’ll impersonate me once more, and in that disguise he’ll probably -advise his victims to pay the sums demanded. - -“Oh, it’s a pretty smooth scheme—one of the smoothest anybody ever -thought out! I’m afraid, however, that he’s inclined to underrate my -intelligence, and to overrate his own ability.” - - - - - CHAPTER XLV. - - COMPARING NOTES. - - -It was not until dusk that Nick Carter left the Gillespie house, and -when he did so, it was on foot. He had not gone more than a block or -so, however, before he hailed a passing taxi, and ordered the chauffeur -to drive to a certain corner of Madison Avenue. The corner named was -only a block from his own house. - -Some hours had passed since Nick had read the letter which revealed the -whereabouts of the real Chester J. Gillespie, but he had been in no -hurry to act. For one thing, he wished to give the scoundrel a sense of -security in this new and climax-capping adventure. - -Nick was still disguised as Gillespie, but he was wearing a golf cap, -which he had pulled down over his eyes, and a light overcoat, with -upturned collar. His purpose was to get in touch with his assistant in -one way or another, and his only anxiety concerned the possibility that -Gordon had already got rid of Chick. - -Fortunately, that was not the case, and, after a wait of no more than -half or three-quarters of an hour, the young detective left the house, -and unconsciously approached his chief, who was lounging at the corner. - -As he passed Nick, the latter said quietly: “Go around the corner and -wait for me.” - -Chick stiffened slightly at the well-known voice, but that was the -only sign of surprise he gave. With a grunt and a nod, he turned about -at right angles into the side street, and along this Nick presently -followed him. - -A short distance beyond the corner, well out of sight from Nick’s -house, Chick paused, and there his chief overtook him. - -“I haven’t made any headway yet,” Chick announced, without any -preliminaries. “I located the car late this afternoon, but there I came -to a dead stop.” - -“Never mind about that,” Nick said quickly. “It doesn’t matter in the -least. I can lay my hands on Green-eye Gordon at any moment.” - -“The deuce you can!” ejaculated Chick. “Then I should certainly say you -don’t need me—for the sort of legwork I’ve been doing to-day, at any -rate.” - -“What about my double, though?” Nick put in swiftly, without giving -Chick time to ask any questions. “Is he still at the house, and if so, -what has he been doing?” - -“He’s there, all right. He’s been writing letters in the bedroom. He -declined to use the study.” - -“Ah!” Nick murmured, in a peculiar tone. “Letters, eh? Has he mailed -them?” - -“No. I offered to do it for him a little while ago, but he said he -would be going out himself later on.” - -Nick thought over this information for a minute or two, while his -assistant watched him questioningly. - -“Did you happen to see any of the letters?” Nick inquired at length, -rousing himself from his abstraction. “I mean, could you tell whether -they were stamped or not?” - -His assistant nodded. “I got a squint at a little pile of them,” he -admitted. “The top one was stamped, but I could not say as to the rest.” - -This required further thought on Nick’s part. He was tempted, of -course, to end matters then and there, before those letters could reach -their destination, and cause the consternation they were certain to -create. On the other hand, he felt it necessary to give Gordon a little -more leeway, and in order to do that, it seemed essential that the -letters be mailed. - -He had searched Gillespie’s private rooms, on the theory that Green -Eye might have left the stolen papers there, but he had found nothing -of the sort. Yet, it was imperative that these papers be recovered, if -possible, at the same time the rascal was captured. - -Unless that were done, the precious records might not be returned at -all, for certainly Gordon could not be counted on to restore them -voluntarily. - -To be sure, the fact that he had been writing those letters—doubtless, -blackmailing ones—under Nick’s own roof, suggested that he had the -documents there to refer to. That, however, was by no means certain, -for he might have put the records in some remote place, perhaps a -safe-deposit vault, after making a list of the names and addresses -desired. - -Therefore, it seemed wise to give the fellow his head, for the time, -and meanwhile to keep him under observation, in the hope that his -movements would give some hint as to his possession or nonpossession -of Nick’s papers. - -The detective was about to explain this to his assistant when the -latter broke in excitedly. - -“For the love of Pete! What’s up?” he demanded. “What are you cooking -up in that brain of yours, and why are you so curious about Gillespie’s -doings?” - -“Gillespie is down in South America,” Nick returned quietly. “That’s -why. Our friend back there in the house is—well, you can guess, I -imagine.” - -And then he proceeded to give his instructions to the dumfounded Chick. - - - - - CHAPTER XLVI. - - GORDON’S LETTERS REACH THEIR MARK. - - -Ex-Senator William Deane Phelps smiled complacently as he stood before -a glass in his dressing room. - -He was a tall man, and the sixty years that had passed over his head -had left him his rather slim and upright figure. His hair was white, -but abundant, and on the whole, he had good reason to consider himself -a handsome and well-preserved man. - -“Is there anything else, sir?” his valet asked respectfully. - -“No,” the ex-senator answered. “It’s probable that I shall be very -late, so you need not wait up.” - -“Thank you, sir. Shall I ring for your car?” - -“No, no! A taxi will do.” - -Possibly the ghost of a smile curved the lips of the valet, but if -so, it was quickly gone. If his employer chose to keep his movements -secret, that was his employer’s business. - -Ex-Senator Phelps took the light coat and silk hat that were handed -to him, and strolled toward the door. He was a single man, but his -position in the world had made it necessary for him to keep up a rather -pretentious establishment. - -He stood in the doorway holding a cigar as the taxi drove up, but at -that moment his valet, who had followed him as if to close the door, -spoke up in a surprised tone. - -“I beg your pardon, sir,” he said, “but this was lying on the floor. -You stepped over it just now without knowing it. It’s addressed to you, -and marked ‘Urgent.’ It’s stamped, but not postmarked—looks as if it -had been slipped under the door instead.” - -Ex-Senator Phelps took the envelope with a careless air, and no -premonition chilled him as he stepped back into the light of the hall -and tore it open. As he glanced at the single sheet of paper, however, -his face turned ghastly, and he reeled against a small statue that -stood on a pedestal, throwing it to the floor and breaking it. - -“After all these years!” he muttered hoarsely to himself. Then his eyes -fell upon the amazed face of his valet, and, as he crushed the letter -in his hand, he made a great effort to pull himself together. “I—I -shall not be going out, after all,” he said, in a curiously dead voice. -“I’m not—feeling well.” - -Every year of the sixty seemed to weigh heavily upon the ex-senator -as he pushed open the door of the room on the left. His feet dragged -across the thick carpet so that he stumbled, and when he dropped into a -chair, buried his face in his hands. - - * * * * * - -The Forty-second Street Theater had been famous for years as the home -of light comedy of the more brilliant sort. - -That night was to witness a new production, for which great things -were expected—for had the play not been written by one of America’s -cleverest and most experienced playwrights, and staged by a production -wizard? And was not the star Harold Lumsden? - -Already the cheaper parts of the house were packed, and the orchestra -was filling up. Here and there a pair of white shoulders gleamed in -one of the boxes which would soon be filled—for it was a foregone -conclusion that the S.R.O. sign would have to be displayed in the lobby -that night. - -Harold Lumsden himself was peering through a peephole in the curtain -at that moment, idly surveying the nucleus of what he knew would -prove to be an unusually brilliant first-night audience. For years he -had enjoyed great prestige, and this was to be his first appearance -following a successful invasion of London, which had added greatly to -his laurels. - -“This is going to be some night, Harold!” his manager remarked -impressively, coming up from behind and putting his hand on the star’s -shoulder. “Dressed early, didn’t you?” - -“Yes, I felt restless,” was the reply. “Hanged if I know why. This sort -of thing ought to be an old story to me by this time, if it’s ever -going to be.” - -As he turned about to face the portly manager, he noticed an envelope -in the latter’s hand. Knowing the manager’s absent-mindedness, he -inquired: - -“That letter isn’t for me, is it?” - -“Why, yes, it is,” was the reply. “I had forgotten it for a moment. -It’s marked ‘Urgent,’ but I suppose it’s only from some friend of -yours—or, more likely, some friend of a friend—who aspires to the -deadhead class.” - -“Probably,” Harold Lumsden agreed, as he glanced at the handwriting -for a moment, and then ripped the envelope open. “We haven’t needed to -‘paper’ our houses for the last few seasons, have we, old man? What’s -this! Great heavens!” - -The distinguished actor clutched at one of the wings for support, and -the letter fluttered to the ground. The manager stooped to pick it up, -but with an oath the star forestalled him, seizing the letter hastily -and thrusting it into his pocket. - -“Bad news?” the manager asked anxiously. - -“A rather disagreeable surprise,” Lumsden managed to say, making a -strenuous attempt to control himself. “It’s nothing you know anything -about, you know, and I’ll be all right, never fear.” - -Harold Lumsden played the part that night, for there was nothing else -to do, and the traditions of his profession demand that an actor or -actress should always appear, unless ill in bed, no matter what news -may have been received, or what tragedy may have been left at home. - -But some idea of the sort of performance the famous star gave on that -memorable occasion might have been gathered from the newspaper comments -the following morning, for all the critics seemed to agree that -Lumsden was far from himself, and that his conception of the part was -strangely heavy and lifeless. - -Such was the effect of Green-eye Gordon’s second demand. There were -other letters—several of them, in fact—but we need not trace their -influence here. - -There was no doubt that the blackmailer had struck some stunning blows, -expecting that gold would flow from the wounds thus inflicted. - - - - - CHAPTER XLVII. - - THE BLACKMAILER ADVISES HIS VICTIM. - - -Ernest Gordon was inclined to consider the world a pretty good place, -as he finished his breakfast in Nick Carter’s dining room the following -morning. Everything had gone very well, thus far, and he seemed to have -reason for self-congratulation. - -He had peddled the letters around himself the night before, thus saving -time, and making it more difficult to trace them, as he believed. -He did not know that he had been shadowed throughout by Chick, who -thereby knew just what victims the blackmailer had chosen for his first -broadside. - -Later he had returned to the detective’s house, and so had Chick; then -there had come a telephone message to the latter from Nick sending -the young detective out of town for at least twenty-four, if not -forty-eight, hours. - -That unexpected turn of affairs had caused Gordon great satisfaction -when Chick gloomily confided the news to him. - -“The chief seems to think that fellow Gordon has doubled back, and is -hiding not far from New Pelham,” the assistant informed “Gillespie.” -“He still hopes he’ll turn up at your place, and is going to wait there -all of to-morrow, if not longer, but he wants me to get busy, and see -if I can locate Gordon independently. It seems unnecessary to me, but -what he says goes. The worst of it is, though, I’ve got my orders to -pull up stakes at once.” - -Of course, Gordon did not know that this was all a put-up job. Nick, by -seeming to play into the rascal’s hands, had worked out this scheme, -in order to get Chick out of the way, so that Gordon would not feel -compelled to take strong measures to accomplish the same object. - -As a result, Green Eye had slept alone at Nick’s house that -night—except for the servants—and now, after a good breakfast, looked -forward to a day of undisturbed peace and freedom to do whatever -circumstances might require. - -First, however, it was necessary for him to absent himself temporarily, -in order to make up as Nick once more. Therefore, he made a flying trip -to One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Street, and there disguised himself, -returning as fast as the taxi could carry him. - -When he reëntered the detective’s residence, it was in the character of -the owner. - -“Has any one called up or been to see me?” he asked the butler. - -“No, sir,” was the reply, a welcome one to the scoundrel, for it meant -that none of his victims had yet sought the detective. - -He did not have long to wait, however, for hardly more than half an -hour later the butler entered the study, and presented a card, which -bore the name of ex-Senator William Deane Phelps. - -“Show him up,” the supposed detective said. - -The butler turned on his heel to obey, and if Green-eye Gordon grinned -behind his back, his face was serious enough in expression as the -ex-senator nervously entered and closed the door behind him. - -In the few hours that had passed since he had received the threatening -letter, a great change had come over this man, whose name was known -from one end of the country to the other. It was plain that he had not -slept, and there were heavy, loose bags of skin under his eyes. His -face was almost gray in hue. - -“I feared that you would feel compelled to come here before long, -senator,” the impostor said gravely. - -“Then you know?” his visitor asked, in surprise. - -“Yes,” Gordon answered. “Some one knows the facts in regard to—well, we -need not go into the case—and is attempting to blackmail you.” - -Phelps sank into a chair and drew a sheet of paper from his pocket. - -“The infernal scoundrel demands one hundred and fifty thousand—no -less!” he said hoarsely. “It isn’t so much the money, but I—I naturally -assumed that you alone held my secret.” - -Green Eye rose to his feet, and his face was very solemn. - -“Until a short time ago that was the case,” he answered, and crossed -to the safe. “The records were here, and you will see that it has been -burgled. If it’s any comfort to you, though, I’ll tell you that you are -not the only one who will suffer.” - -“I care nothing about that,” Phelps said angrily. “It’s my own plight -that interests me to the exclusion of everything else. Do you wonder? -This is terrible, Carter, terrible! I thought I could trust you, and -now, after all this time, I find that I’ve been living in a fool’s -paradise.” - -The criminal interrupted him with a dignified gesture. - -“I don’t think I deserve that, senator,” he said quietly. “Nicholas -Carter has never yet betrayed a secret. Much as I regret this -unfortunate occurrence, however, I don’t see how I can be held -responsible for it. I didn’t rob my own safe, and certainly I wouldn’t -have chosen to have it robbed, if I could have helped it.” - -“That’s neither here nor there!” declared the ex-senator. “Why didn’t -you destroy the records?” - -“Do you expect me to destroy my stock in trade, or burn up the -reference books I have had occasion to consult countless times?” - -“I hadn’t thought of it in that light,” Phelps confessed. “Even that -doesn’t make it any easier to bear, however. What can I do?” - -“I’m sorry to say that I see nothing for you to do, except to pay,” -Green Eye answered, fingering the letter which had been handed him. - -Phelps looked at him in amazement. “_You_ actually give me that -advice!” he murmured. - -Green Eye nodded. “I know I’m disappointing you,” he said, “but that’s -the best advice I can give under the circumstances. It may sound -strange, but we must face the facts. I know perfectly well who is -at the bottom of this, and I have to confess that he’s one of the -shrewdest men who ever defied the law. He’s amazingly daring, senator, -and you may be sure he means exactly what he says. He’ll drag this -whole unsavory business into the light, if you don’t stop his mouth -with gold, and stop it without delay.” - -“But aren’t you going to——” - -“Of course, I’m going to do everything I can to catch him, senator,” -the criminal interrupted, in a tone which seemed to imply that that -was a matter of course. “If possible, I shall try to trap him just -after you have met his demands, and while he has the money on his -person. I cannot promise, however, to catch him to-day, or this week, -and, knowing his methods as well as I do, I know that you can’t afford -to risk any delay. The chances are, of course, that I can make him -disgorge, and that you’ll get your money back, but the important thing -is to play safe, isn’t it?” - -Ex-Senator Phelps nodded slowly and hopelessly. - -“I suppose you’re right,” he agreed. “I had hoped for immediate help, -Carter, for something that would put new hope into me. Evidently, I -expected too much, though. I’ll do as you say, of course, and try to -believe that everything will come out all right. Good morning.” - -And with that he left the room, walking as if he were seventy instead -of sixty. - -“Number one!” Green-eye Gordon chuckled as he leaned back in his seat. -“A hundred and fifty thousand isn’t bad for a starter. I wonder who -will be the next?” - - - - - CHAPTER XLVIII. - - UP AGAINST IT. - - -A few minutes later, the front-door bell rang again, and this time the -salver which the butler presented to his supposed employer bore the -card of Harold Lumsden. - -Gordon nodded impassively. “Very well,” he said. - -“I only hope he’ll prove worth the trouble,” he told himself, as the -butler left the room. “He’s a spendthrift, of course. Money turns to -water and runs through his fingers, no matter how fast it comes in. -He’s just back from London, however, and I hardly think he has already -squandered everything he picked up there.” - -Then the door opened, and a tragic figure entered. The caller’s face -was haggard, his eyes wild, his hair disordered. Even his clothing -seemed carelessly worn and ill-fitting, though Lumsden had always been -considered one of the best-dressed men in the profession. Certainly he -did not look like a matinee idol now. - -“Something terrible has happened!” he burst out. “Mr. Carter, I am -being blackmailed! Somebody has learned the secret which I thought safe -with you, and has demanded an enormous sum of money. It means my ruin, -unless——” - -“I know all about it, I am sorry to say,” the bogus detective -interrupted. - -Once more he gave a brief and very unsatisfactory explanation, pointing -to the rifled safe, and winding up with a statement of his belief that -there was nothing to do but to pay—“just as a temporary expedient, of -course.” - -Naturally, that advice did not appeal to the actor any more than it had -to ex-Senator Phelps, but Gordon adroitly argued him into a somewhat -less impatient mood. - -“How much does he want?” - -“A cool hundred thousand,” was the bitter reply, and it did not convey -any real news to the man in Nick’s desk chair. “And I haven’t more than -eighty thousand to my name!” - -“The devil you haven’t!” Green Eye exclaimed harshly. “Not after that -London engagement?” - -He had spoken without thinking, and did not realize what he had said -until the caller looked sharply at him. - -“I beg your pardon, Lumsden!” he hastened to say. “That must have -sounded impertinent, I’m afraid. I meant no offense, I assure you. It -was merely surprise. You know, we outsiders are inclined to think that -you popular actors are made of money.” - -“Well, we’re not,” the other answered, as if slightly mollified. “What -shall I do?” - -“Pay what you can,” Gordon answered promptly. “I know it doesn’t appeal -to you, my friend, but as I have said, it’s only temporary. I’ll have -the fellow where I want him in short order, you may be sure. This is -only in the nature of insurance to keep the rascal from carrying out -his threats before I can stop his activities.” - -That seemed to appeal strongly to the actor. - -“It’s asking a good deal to trust everything to you, including my whole -bank roll, when the trouble originated through you,” he said. “However, -I see nothing else to do. I’ll do as you suggest. Anything is better -than exposure, and I can always earn more money if I have to see the -last of this.” He paused for a moment. “By Jove!” he ejaculated. “You -have made me feel that I shan’t be comfortable until I’ve paid the -money over. If you don’t mind, I’ll make out a check to self right -now, and take it to the bank to be cashed, so that I can turn over the -currency to the scoundrel when he comes.” - -Green Eye had no objection to that, of course; in fact, it brought an -anticipatory glitter to his eyes. With shaking hands, Lumsden took a -check book from his pocket, seating himself in the chair which Gordon -vacated for the purpose. When he tried to write, however, he found it -exceedingly difficult to do so. - -“Confound it!” he cried impatiently. “See how infernally nervous I am! -Would you mind filling this in for eighty thousand, Mr. Carter, and -then I’ll try to sign it.” - -“Gladly,” Green Eye said, with alacrity, reseating himself in the -vacated chair, and taking the pen from his visitor’s trembling hand. - -The masquerading criminal held down the cover of the little check book -with his left hand, while he began to write with the other. Lumsden -leaned over his shoulder, watching him, as if ready to try his luck at -signing his name as soon as the rest of the check was filled in. His -hand slipped into his pocket, however, and when it came out silently, -there was something in it which had a metallic gleam. - -“Ah! Thanks!” he exclaimed, a moment or two later. “You have made it -very easy for me, Gordon!” - -Simultaneously there was a sudden, unlooked-for swoop, followed quickly -by the click of a pair of handcuffs as they closed on Green Eye’s -wrists. - -And the voice which uttered the mocking words was not the voice of -Harold Lumsden, but that of Nick Carter himself. Gordon knew it after -the first word or two, and even if he had not done so, the action which -went along with it would have been enlightening enough. - -“Nick Carter, by Heaven!” the rogue cried hoarsely, jumping to his feet -and overturning the chair. - -“Nick Carter—exactly,” the detective agreed, removing the wig which -had played such a large part in transforming him into Harold Lumsden. -“You didn’t think you were going to have this little masked ball all to -yourself, did you?” - -After the first dazed shock—a merely momentary one—had passed, Gordon’s -face seemed to grow actually black with rage and hatred. - -“You may think you have me, curse you!” he snarled. “But I’ll show -you——” - -He leaped forward, his manacled arms raised to strike together. Nick -quietly sidestepped the mad bull-like rush, but Green Eye turned and -charged him again. - -There was one more surprise awaiting him, though. The door opened, and -Chick entered, coolly fingering an automatic. - -“Pretty neat weapon, isn’t it, Gordon?” he asked, in a matter-of-fact -tone, then stopped in feigned surprise. “Oh, you and the chief are -having an argument? Hope you don’t think I’ve butted in. Now that I’m -here, though, I think I might as well stay. You look as if you needed -your wrists slapped, and the chief may not care to bother with it.” - -The escaped convict had halted in his tracks at the first interruption, -and was now looking from the detective to his assistant with baffled -rage. He would have liked to fight it out to a finish, but his -shrewdness told him that he would gain nothing by such a course, and -it was one of his rules never to exert himself unnecessarily. The -consequence was that he merely shrugged his shoulders. - -“So be it,” he said quietly. “You fellows can trump my ace, I see. Let -me remind you, however, that you haven’t got that gold that our mutual -friend, John Simpson, took such a liking to. Likewise, you’re a long -way from the possession of those papers which you were foolish enough -to keep in a more or less ordinary safe.” - -The detectives looked at each other and grinned. - -“Think so?” queried Nick. “I’m afraid, in that case, that you are -scheduled to receive another disagreeable surprise or two. I located -the gold yesterday afternoon—in one of Gillespie’s closets. As for the -missing records, I feel very sure that we shall discover them on you.” - -And they did. - -Therefore, there was no need of delay, and No. 39,470 Clinton was -shipped northward to Dannemora the next day, under escort. - -“Lucky for us that he belonged to the ‘Gray Brotherhood,’” Nick -remarked to Griswold, when he turned a little over seventy-five -thousand dollars in gold over to him. “Otherwise, he would have -gone scot-free, just as in the case of Simpson. As it is, he’ll get -something extra for his escape, at least, and I don’t believe he’ll -have a chance to slip away again. - -“But another case like this would give me heart disease, I’m afraid,” -he added to himself. - - - THE END. - - -No. 990 of the NEW MAGNET LIBRARY, entitled “The Deposit Vault Puzzle,” -introduces the reader to a new phase of the famous detective’s -versatile personality and his seemingly unbounded resourcefulness. -Nick’s adventures and the means by which he solves this particular -puzzle make splendid sitting-up-at-night reading. - - - - - READ! - - The Chain of Clues - - By NICHOLAS CARTER - - New Magnet Library No. 1030 - - -A gamblers’ club with sixteen entrances through sixteen different -houses on three streets, where gambling is prohibited, is certainly an -interesting background for a detective story. - -Nick Carter becomes a member of such an organization to trap a crook -who held human life so cheaply that his devilish crimes went unpunished -for a long time. - -Nick matched his wits against those of the criminal and won out—but how -he did so will hold your undivided interest. - -If your dealer cannot supply this book immediately, he will get it for -you. - - - STREET & SMITH CORPORATION - 79 Seventh Avenue New York City - - - - - Everybody - - Knows - - Horatio Alger - - -But does everybody know that nearly all of his celebrated books may be -had in paper covers at a most modest price? - -It would seem so, from the orders for the Alger books that are just -rolling in. - -If you want to give your boy friends a big treat, ask any news dealer -to sell you a few of the Alger books he has in stock. - -Big value in these days of high prices. - - - STREET & SMITH CORPORATION - 79 Seventh Avenue New York City - - - - - A REQUEST - - -Conditions due to the war have made it very difficult for us to keep in -print all of the books listed in our catalogues. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this ebook. - -Title: Snarled Identities - A Desperate Tangle - -Author: Nicholas Carter - -Release Date: December 06, 2020 [EBook #63977] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: David Edwards, Nahum Maso i Carcases, and the Online - Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.ne - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SNARLED IDENTITIES *** -</pre> -<div class="body-with"> - -<hr class="tn" /> -<div class="transnote"> -<p class="no-indent center bold">Transcriber’s Notes:</p> -<p>The original spelling, hyphenation, and punctuation have been retained, with the exception -of apparent typographical errors which have been corrected.</p> -<p>For convenience, a table of contents, which is not present in the original, has been included.</p> -</div> -<hr class="tn" /> - - - - -<div class="titlepage"> -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> -<img src="images/illus01.jpg" width="200" height="289" alt="Cover" /> -</div> -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p class="no-indent center bold xlarge p2">CONTENTS</p> - -<table summary="Contents"> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt"><span class="smaller">CHAPTER</span></td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr"> </td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><span class="smaller">PAGE</span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">I.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">STARTLING NEWS.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_5">5</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">II.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">“GREEN-EYE” GORDON.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_8">8</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">III.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">NOT SO DEAD, AFTER ALL.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_13">13</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">IV.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">THE DETECTIVE’S “HALFWAY HOUSE.”</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_19">19</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">V.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">IN NICK’S SHOES.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">VI.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">AN INTERRUPTION.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">VII.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">THE RASCAL’S FIRST CLIENT.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_33">33</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">VIII.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">THE ABSCONDING TREASURER.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_38">38</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">IX.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">CHANCE PLAYS INTO GORDON’S HANDS.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_42">42</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">X.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">THE IMPOSTOR’S CLEVERNESS.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_47">47</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XI.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">CRAY GETS HIS ORDERS.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_53">53</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XII.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">GREEN EYE DOES SOME THINKING.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_59">59</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XIII.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">THE POLICE DOG ACTS STRANGELY.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_64">64</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XIV.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">CRAY CALLS ON MRS. SIMPSON.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_69">69</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XV.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">SOME INTERESTING INFORMATION.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_74">74</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XVI.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">THE TIRE PRINTS.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_79">79</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XVII.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">CRAY WIRES FOR “CARTER.”</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_85">85</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XVIII.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">GORDON TACKLES NICK’S SAFE.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_90">90</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XIX.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">AN UNTIMELY KNOCK.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_95">95</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XX.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">THE BLACKMAILER’S SUPREME HAUL.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_100">100</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XXI.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">THE MASQUERADER JOINS CRAY.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_106">106</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XXII.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">PLANS FOR THE NIGHT.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_112">112</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XXIII.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">THE WATCHERS MAKE THEMSELVES SCARCE.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_116">116</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XXIV.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">REWARDED AT LAST.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_121">121</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XXV.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">THOSE EXTRA-HEAVY SUIT CASES.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_125">125</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XXVI.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">NOT ON THE PROGRAM.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_130">130</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XXVII.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">GORDON MAKES HIS GET-AWAY.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_135">135</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XXVIII.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">WHAT THE DOG BARKED AT.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_141">141</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XXIX.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">“THE GREENISH EYES!”</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_147">147</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XXX.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">MRS. SIMPSON LEARNS THE TRUTH.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_153">153</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XXXI.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">THE MILLIONAIRE PLAYS SLEUTH.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_158">158</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XXXII.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">SIMPSON IS FOUND.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_163">163</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XXXIII.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">SUSPICION FALLS ON NICK.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_168">168</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XXXIV.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">GRISWOLD IN COMMAND.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_174">174</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XXXV.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">A TRAP IS SET FOR NICK.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_179">179</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XXXVI.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">AT CROSS PURPOSES.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_184">184</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XXXVII.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">GRISWOLD STILL DOUBTFUL.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_190">190</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XXXVIII.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">NICK DISCOVERS HIS LOSS.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_195">195</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XXXIX.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">CRAY’S LIPS ARE UNSEALED.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_200">200</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XL.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">NICK OUTLINES HIS CAMPAIGN.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_205">205</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XLI.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">WAITING FOR A NIBBLE.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_209">209</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XLII.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">THE FIRST VICTIM.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_215">215</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XLIII.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">AN ASTOUNDING RUSE.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_220">220</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XLIV.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">NICK’S SUSPICIONS CONFIRMED.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_225">225</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XLV.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">COMPARING NOTES.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_231">231</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XLVI.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">GORDON’S LETTERS REACH THEIR MARK.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_235">235</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XLVII.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">THE BLACKMAILER ADVISES HIS VICTIM.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_240">240</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr tdt">XLVIII.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdpr">UP AGAINST IT.</td> - <td class="tdr tdb"><a href="#Page_245">245</a></td> - </tr> -</table> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_i" id="Page_i">[i]</a></span></p> - -<p class="no-indent bold center large p2">NICK CARTER STORIES</p> - -<p class="no-indent bold center xxlarge">New Magnet Library</p> - -<p class="no-indent bold center p1">PRICE, FIFTEEN CENTS</p> - -<p class="no-indent bold center p1"><em>Not a Dull Book in This List</em></p> - - -<p class="p2">Nick Carter stands for an interesting detective story. The -fact that the books in this line are so uniformly good is entirely -due to the work of a specialist. The man who wrote -these stories produced no other type of fiction. His mind was -concentrated upon the creation of new plots and situations in -which his hero emerged triumphantly from all sorts of trouble, -and landed the criminal just where he should be—behind the -bars.</p> - -<p>The author of these stories knew more about writing detective -stories than any other single person.</p> - -<p>Following is a list of the best Nick Carter stories. They have -been selected with extreme care, and we unhesitatingly recommend -each of them as being fully as interesting as any detective -story between cloth covers which sells at ten times the price.</p> - -<p>If you do not know Nick Carter, buy a copy of any of the -New Magnet Library books, and get acquainted. He will surprise -and delight you.</p> - -<table summary="Nick Carter Stories"> - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdc"><em>ALL TITLES ALWAYS IN PRINT</em></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">850—Wanted: A Clew</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">851—A Tangled Skein</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">852—The Bullion Mystery</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">853—The Man of Riddles</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">854—A Miscarriage of Justice</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">855—The Gloved Hand</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">856—Spoilers and the Spoils</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">857—The Deeper Game</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">858—Bolts from Blue Skies</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">859—Unseen Foes</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">860—Knaves in High Places</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">861—The Microbe of Crime</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">862—In the Toils of Fear</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">863—A Heritage of Trouble</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">864—Called to Account</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">865—The Just and the Unjust</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">866—Instinct at Fault</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">867—A Rogue Worth Trapping</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ii" id="Page_ii">[ii]</a></span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">868—A Rope of Slender Threads</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">869—The Last Call</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">870—The Spoils of Chance</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">871—A Struggle With Destiny</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">872—The Slave of Crime</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">873—The Crook’s Blind</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">874—A Rascal of Quality</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">875—With Shackles of Fire</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">876—The Man Who Changed Faces</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">877—The Fixed Alibi</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">878—Out With the Tide</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">879—The Soul Destroyers</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">880—The Wages of Rascality</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">881—Birds of Prey</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">882—When Destruction Threatens</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">883—The Keeper of Black Hounds</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">884—The Door of Doubt</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">885—The Wolf Within</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">886—A Perilous Parole</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">887—The Trail of the Fingerprints</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">888—Dodging the Law</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">889—A Crime in Paradise</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">890—On the Ragged Edge</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">891—The Red God of Tragedy</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">892—The Man Who Paid</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">893—The Blind Man’s Daughter</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">894—One Object in Life</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">895—As a Crook Sows</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">896—In Record Time</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">897—Held in Suspense</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">898—The $100,000 Kiss</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">899—Just One Slip</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">900—On a Million-dollar Trail</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">901—A Weird Treasure</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">902—The Middle Link</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">903—To the Ends of the Earth</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">904—When Honors Pall</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">905—The Yellow Brand</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">906—A New Serpent in Eden</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">907—When Brave Men Tremble</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">908—A Test of Courage</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">909—Where Peril Beckons</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">910—The Gargoni Girdle</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">911—Rascals & Co.</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">912—Too Late to Talk</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">913—Satan’s Apt Pupil</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">914—The Girl Prisoner</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">915—The Danger of Folly</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">916—One Shipwreck Too Many</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">917—Scourged by Fear</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">[iii]</a></span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">918—The Red Plague</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">919—Scoundrels Rampant</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">920—From Clew to Clew</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">921—When Rogues Conspire</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">922—Twelve in a Grave</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">923—The Great Opium Case</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">924—A Conspiracy of Rumors</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">925—A Klondike Claim</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">926—The Evil Formula</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">927—The Man of Many Faces</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">928—The Great Enigma</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">929—The Burden of Proof</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">930—The Stolen Brain</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">931—A Titled Counterfeiter</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">932—The Magic Necklace</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">933—’Round the World for a Quarter</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">934—Over the Edge of the World</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">935—In the Grip of Fate</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">936—The Case of Many Clews</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">937—The Sealed Door</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh tdpr">938—Nick Carter and the Green Goods Men</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">939—The Man Without a Will</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">940—Tracked Across the Atlantic</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">941—A Clew From the Unknown</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">942—The Crime of a Countess</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">943—A Mixed Up Mess</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">944—The Great Money Order Swindle</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">945—The Adder’s Brood</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">946—A Wall Street Haul</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">947—For a Pawned Crown</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">948—Sealed Orders</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">949—The Hate That Kills</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">950—The American Marquis</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">951—The Needy Nine</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">952—Fighting Against Millions</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">953—Outlaws of the Blue</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">954—The Old Detective’s Pupil</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">955—Found in the Jungle</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">956—The Mysterious Mail Robbery</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">957—Broken Bars</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">958—A Fair Criminal</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">959—Won by Magic</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">960—The Piano Box Mystery</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">961—The Man They Held Back</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">962—A Millionaire Partner</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">963—A Pressing Peril</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">964—An Australian Klondyke</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">965—The Sultan’s Pearls</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">966—The Double Shuffle Club</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">967—Paying the Price</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv">[iv]</a></span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">968—A Woman’s Hand</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">969—A Network of Crime</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">970—At Thompson’s Ranch</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">971—The Crossed Needles</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">972—The Diamond Mine Case</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">973—Blood Will Tell</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">974—An Accidental Password</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">975—The Crook’s Bauble</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">976—Two Plus Two</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">977—The Yellow Label</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">978—The Clever Celestial</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">979—The Amphitheater Plot</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">980—Gideon Drexel’s Millions</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">981—Death in Life</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">982—A Stolen Identity</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">983—Evidence by Telephone</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">984—The Twelve Tin Boxes</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">985—Clew Against Clew</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">986—Lady Velvet</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">987—Playing a Bold Game</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">988—A Dead Man’s Grip</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">989—Snarled Identities</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">990—A Deposit Vault Puzzle</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">991—The Crescent Brotherhood</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">992—The Stolen Pay Train</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">993—The Sea Fox</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">994—Wanted by Two Clients</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">995—The Van Alstine Case</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">996—Check No. 777</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">997—Partners in Peril</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">998—Nick Carter’s Clever Protégé</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">999—The Sign of the Crossed Knives</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1000—The Man Who Vanished</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1001—A Battle for the Right</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1002—A Game of Craft</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1003—Nick Carter’s Retainer</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1004—Caught in the Toils</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1005—A Broken Bond</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1006—The Crime of the French Café</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1007—The Man Who Stole Millions</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1008—The Twelve Wise Men</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1009—Hidden Foes</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1010—A Gamblers’ Syndicate</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1011—A Chance Discovery</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1012—Among the Counterfeiters</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1013—A Threefold Disappearance</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1014—At Odds With Scotland Yard</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1015—A Princess of Crime</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1016—Found on the Beach</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1017—A Spinner of Death</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[v]</a></span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1018—The Detective’s Pretty Neighbor</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1019—A Bogus Clew</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1020—The Puzzle of Five Pistols</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1021—The Secret of the Marble Mantel</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1022—A Bite of an Apple</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1023—A Triple Crime</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1024—The Stolen Race Horse</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1025—Wildfire</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1026—A <em>Herald</em> Personal</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1027—The Finger of Suspicion</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1028—The Crimson Clue</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1029—Nick Carter Down East</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1030—The Chain of Clues</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1031—A Victim of Circumstances</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1032—Brought to Bay</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1033—The Dynamite Trap</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1034—A Scrap of Black Lace</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1035—The Woman of Evil</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1036—A Legacy of Hate</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1037—A Trusted Rogue</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1038—Man Against Man</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1039—The Demons of the Night</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1040—The Brotherhood of Death</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1041—At the Knife’s Point</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1042—A Cry for Help</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1043—A Stroke of Policy</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1044—Hounded to Death</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1045—A Bargain in Crime</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1046—The Fatal Prescription</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1047—The Man of Iron</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1048—An Amazing Scoundrel</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1049—The Chain of Evidence</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1050—Paid with Death</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1051—A Fight for a Throne</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1052—The Woman of Steel</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1053—The Seal of Death</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1054—The Human Fiend</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1055—A Desperate Chance</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1056—A Chase in the Dark</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1057—The Snare and the Game</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1058—The Murray Hill Mystery</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1059—Nick Carter’s Close Call</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1060—The Missing Cotton King</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1061—A Game of Plots</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1062—The Prince of Liars</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1063—The Man at the Window</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1064—The Red League</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1065—The Price of a Secret</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1066—The Worst Case on Record</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1067—From Peril to Peril</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[vi]</a></span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1068—The Seal of Silence</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1069—Nick Carter’s Chinese Puzzle</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1070—A Blackmailer’s Bluff</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1071—Heard in the Dark</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1072—A Checkmated Scoundrel</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1073—The Cashier’s Secret</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1074—Behind a Mask</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1075—The Cloak of Guilt</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1076—Two Villains in One</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1077—The Hot Air Clue</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1078—Run to Earth</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1079—The Certified Check</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1080—Weaving the Web</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1081—Beyond Pursuit</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1082—The Claws of the Tiger</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> -</table> - -<p>In order that there may be no confusion, we desire to say -that the books listed below will be issued during the respective -months in New York City and vicinity. They may not reach -the readers at a distance promptly, on account of delays in transportation.</p> - -<table summary="Nick Carter Stories in Press"> - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdc">To Be Published in July, 1922.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1083—Driven From Cover</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1084—A Deal in Diamonds</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdc tdpt">To Be Published in August, 1922.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1085—The Wizard of the Cue</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh tdpr">1086—A Race for Ten Thousand</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1087—The Criminal Link</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdc tdpt">To Be Published in September, 1922.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1088—The Red Signal</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1089—The Secret Panel</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdc tdpt">To Be Published in October, 1922.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1090—A Bonded Villain</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1091—A Move in the Dark</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdc tdpt">To Be Published in November, 1922.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1092—Against Desperate Odds</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1093—The Telltale Photographs</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdc tdpt">To Be Published in December, 1922.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1094—The Ruby Pin</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1095—The Queen of Diamonds</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdc tdpt">To Be Published in January, 1923.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1096—A Broken Trail</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">1097—An Ingenious Stratagem</td> - <td class="tdl tdt tdh">By Nicholas Carter</td> - </tr> -</table> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> - -<div class="titlepage"> -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px; border: 1px solid;"> -<img src="images/illus02.jpg" width="200" height="341" alt="Title Page" /> -</div> -</div> - -<h1>SNARLED IDENTITIES</h1> - -<p class="no-indent center">OR,</p> - -<p class="no-indent center xlarge p1">A DESPERATE TANGLE</p> - -<p class="no-indent center p2">BY</p> - -<p class="no-indent center xlarge">NICHOLAS CARTER</p> - -<p class="no-indent center">Author of the celebrated stories of Nick Carter’s adventures, which -are published exclusively in the <span class="smcap">New Magnet Library</span>, conceded -to be among the best detective tales ever written.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 82px;"> -<img src="images/illus03.jpg" width="82" height="100" alt="Illustration" /> -</div> - -<p class="no-indent center">STREET & SMITH CORPORATION -<br /> -PUBLISHERS -<br /> -79-89 Seventh Avenue, New York</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> - -<p class="no-indent center p2"> -Copyright, 1916<br /> -By STREET & SMITH</p> - -<hr class="title-xshort" /> - -<p class="no-indent center">Snarled Identities</p> - -<p class="no-indent center p2">(Printed in the United States of America)</p> - -<p class="no-indent center p1">All rights reserved, including that of translation into foreign<br /> -languages, including the Scandinavian.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span></p> - - -<p class="no-indent center bold xxlarge p2">SNARLED IDENTITIES.</p> - - -<h2 class="no-break">CHAPTER I. -<br /> -<small>STARTLING NEWS.</small></h2> - - -<p>Nicholas Carter, and his first assistant, Chickering -Carter, had risen early that morning, but not for the -usual reason. It was a very unusual occasion in the -great detective’s household, for he and Chick were -actually going away for two weeks’ vacation in the -Adirondacks.</p> - -<p>The train that was to carry the two to the Great -North Woods was scheduled to leave shortly after -eight o’clock, and many preparations had been deferred -until that morning. Now, however, everything -was practically ready, their trunk was packed, locked, -and strapped, their suit cases were nearly filled, and -they had time for a bite of breakfast and a glance -at the morning papers, which had thus far been neglected.</p> - -<p>Nick seemed to be the only one who was interested -in the news. In fact, his assistant made a wry face -when he saw his chief reaching for one of the papers.</p> - -<p>“Can’t you forget that sort of thing?” he asked, in -an injured tone. “I was hoping you would until we -got well started, at least.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span></p> - -<p>“What’s the trouble?” Nick asked, in a bewildered -tone. “Oh, I see what you are driving at! You are -afraid I’ll see something interesting in the line of -crimes and mysteries, and decide at the last minute to -stay at home? Is that the idea?”</p> - -<p>His assistant nodded gloomily. “Correct,” he answered. -“I never know which way you are going to -jump, or at what moment. When I’m trying to get -you off for a holiday, especially, I feel the greatest -responsibility. You have such a way of changing your -mind, and, if you don’t, somebody usually bobs up -with a case that you find irresistible. You’ve been -working your head off for months, and you are run -down; you know you are.” Chick grinned. “You -are not exactly at the breaking point yet,” he went -on, “but you are just a little stale, and that won’t -do, you know. Any day something may break that -will require your keenest brain work, and your last -ounce of strength and agility. Of course, things will -turn up; of course, you’ll have all sorts of calls every -day, and if you allow yourself to read the papers, -you’ll run across plenty of things that will prove fascinating -to you. Can’t you cut yourself loose, though—absolutely?”</p> - -<p>“I’ve done harder things than that, grandmother,” -Nick answered, “but I really don’t see the necessity -for that sort of total abstinence. If you think I’m -going to cut out all newspapers for two weeks, you’re -very much mistaken. I’ve promised to go, though, -and I’m going—unless, of course, something turns up -that is altogether too big to neglect.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span></p> - -<p>He opened the paper, whereupon Chick gave an exaggerated -sigh of resignation.</p> - -<p>“What is to be is to be, I suppose,” the younger -detective murmured; “or, in more up-to-date form, she -goes as she lays.”</p> - -<p>It may be inferred, therefore, that he was far from -surprised, when his chief gave a startled exclamation -a few moments later.</p> - -<p>“Well,” Chick asked pessimistically, “what have you -struck now? We are not going away, I suppose?”</p> - -<p>“Of course we are, you idiot!” Nick answered excitedly. -“You’ll agree with me, though, I’m sure, that -it would have been a calamity if we had missed -this. It looks as if we had had our last tussle with -‘Green-eye’ Gordon.”</p> - -<p>Chick’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?” he -asked. “Has Gordon died in prison?”</p> - -<p>Nick nodded soberly. “He was burned to death -last night in a fire that destroyed one wing of Clinton -Prison,” he replied, his eye hastily running over -the rest of the article.</p> - -<p>Presently the paper was passed to Chick. This, in -part, was what the latter read.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER II. -<br /> -<small>“GREEN-EYE” GORDON.</small></h2> - - -<p>“Shortly after ten o’clock last night fire was discovered -in the laundry at Clinton Prison. The blaze -spread with surprising rapidity, and as the laundry -was in the basement of one of the main wings of -three tiers of cells above it, the lives of many of -the convicts were soon seen to be in danger.</p> - -<p>“Under the circumstances, it is surprising that more -lives were not lost, but the best information obtainable -at the present time is that three of the inmates -were fatally burned—including the clever and infamous -Green-eye Gordon—that many were injured or temporarily -overcome, and that one took advantage of -the excitement to escape.</p> - -<p>“As soon as it was seen that the fire was beyond -control, so far as the prison’s fire-fighting facilities -were concerned, and that there was danger of asphyxiation -from the dense smoke, the cells of each tier in -the threatened wing were unlocked simultaneously, -and there was a general exodus of frightened prisoners. -The scene defies description, for the delay in -opening the cells had given the trapped men an opportunity -to work themselves up into a frenzy, and, -as a result, the guards were powerless to handle them.</p> - -<p>“A general jail delivery might have followed if the -convicts had realized their power, but fear had driven<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> -everything else out of their minds for the time being, -and in consequence, only one man, Convict No. 9,371, -made his escape. He is known to the world beyond -the gray walls as “Shang” Libby, a yegg, who had -made his headquarters at Buffalo. Libby must have -followed one of the guards when the latter left the -inclosure for help, and having waited until the door of -freedom had been opened, he quietly struck the guard -down and passed through. He was one of those who -had hastily dressed himself in the prison uniform -and unless he can manage to get other clothing there -is no doubt that he will soon be rounded up.”</p> - -<p>Then followed a long account of the fire, and references -to those who had been killed or seriously injured. -The article ended with the following:</p> - -<p>“The death of Ernest Gordon, widely known as -Green-eye Gordon, was the most ignominious one, -and hardly in keeping with this notorious criminal’s -career. There was nothing spectacular about it. Gordon -might have been expected to play a conspicuous -part at such a time—to rally the prisoners for a concerted -attempt at escape, for instance—but he does -not seem to have distinguished himself in any such -way. Indeed, it would appear that his daring and -initiative left him at the last, for there seems no very -good reason for his death, when most of his fellow -prisoners escaped.</p> - -<p>“Of course, some accident must have happened to -him, for he was found trodden to death by the others -in their bestial rush. His face disfigured beyond recognition.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Gordon hailed from New York, and those who -know have long classed him as one of the cleverest -and most dangerous criminals this country has ever -produced. He came of a good family, and was well -educated, but early showed a tendency to criminal -pursuits. Apparently he reformed, however, and for -several years was employed by one of the great detective -agencies.</p> - -<p>“In this capacity he showed himself to be very able -and daring, so much so that he advanced rapidly, -and long enjoyed the utmost confidence of his employers. -In the end, however, it was learned that he -had been using his position for his own ends, and had -really never given up his career of crime. He must -have known that a storm was brewing, for, as usual, -he managed to get away a few jumps ahead.</p> - -<p>“After that, thanks to the invaluable experience -he had gained as a detective, he turned his attention -to much more ambitious and lucrative pursuits, soon -becoming one of the most troublesome thorns in the -side of the police of this city and elsewhere. Gordon -always was versatile, and handled many kinds of -crime with remarkable success. Toward the last, however, -he developed something approaching a specialty -in the shape of blackmail on a large scale. He seemed -to have an uncanny facility for learning the secrets -of the wealthy and prominent, and using them for -purposes of blackmail.</p> - -<p>“Crimes of this sort are not easy to establish in -a legal way, or to punish, for the victims seldom -raise an outcry. Nevertheless, that lifelong foe of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> -crime and criminals, Nicholas Carter, took up the trail, -and finally brought Gordon to bay. The capture and -trial of two years ago are doubtless fresh in the -minds of many newspaper readers.</p> - -<p>“Gordon acquired his nickname of Green Eye from -the fact that he had a pair of peculiar, rather nondescript -gray eyes, which were said to emit a green -light when the man was angry or excited. In addition, -his eyes showed an inclination to cross at such -times, although perfectly normal at all others. In -fact, it is claimed that these distinguishing characteristics -more than once served to identify the clever -rogue, whose remarkable histrionic ability and skill -at make-up would otherwise have enabled him to defy -detection.”</p> - -<p>Of course, neither of the detectives read all of -this. They did not need to, for they knew a great -deal more about Ernest Gordon than any one else -could have told them.</p> - -<p>Chick followed his chief’s example in glancing -through the article and getting the main points that -were new to him. Then he looked up with an odd -expression.</p> - -<p>“Well, it certainly sounds final enough,” he remarked. -“I find it hard to believe, though, that Green -Eye is dead, and that he died in such a way.”</p> - -<p>“It is somewhat difficult to credit it,” Nick agreed. -“That’s the way things frequently happen, though. -Fate isn’t always dramatic in its methods according -to our theatrical standards. No, it seems safe enough -to believe that Ernest Gordon won’t give us any more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> -trouble, and I find a certain amount of relief in the -thought. I’m willing to confess now that there were -times when I doubted my ability to bring him to -account. In other words, I felt myself nearer defeat -at his hands than I had ever done in any other case.”</p> - -<p>The detective pulled out his watch, glanced at it, -and threw his napkin aside. “We must hustle if we -are going to catch that train,” he announced.</p> - -<p>Five minutes later he and Chick were whirled -away to the station. Their well-earned vacation -had begun, but they were far from carefree.</p> - -<p>The thought of Ernest Gordon persisted in haunting -their minds, and somehow it seemed to dull the edge -of their anticipations.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER III. -<br /> -<small>NOT SO DEAD, AFTER ALL.</small></h2> - - -<p>Two days later a striking-looking, conspicuously -well-groomed man presented himself at Nick Carter’s -door.</p> - -<p>He did not give his name, which is not to be wondered -at under the circumstances, for the caller was -Green-eye Gordon—not his ghost, but the man himself, -substantial flesh and blood, escaped convict, and -first-class criminal.</p> - -<p>For once Chick’s intuitions had been keener than his -chief’s. The younger detective had been inclined -to question the validity of Gordon’s death in the absence -of any more conclusive testimony than that given -in the first accounts of the fire. Nick, however, had -been in a mood to discourage such skepticism—perhaps -because of that relief to which he had confessed.</p> - -<p>The fact was that it was Green Eye who had -escaped, and not the yegg from Buffalo. Gordon -had stumbled over the latter’s body during that mad -rush for safety. The yegg was by no means dead at -the time, but had been overcome by the smoke, and, -without a moment’s hesitation, Gordon had determined -to profit by the encounter.</p> - -<p>He had no definite plan, but it was characteristic -of him that whereas the others were interested only in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> -escaping the flames, he was looking for the opportunity -to escape from the prison itself, and was prepared -to profit by every promising circumstance.</p> - -<p>It occurred to him at once that an exchange of -coats would be to his advantage, and he proceeded -at once to make the exchange, stripping off the unconscious -man’s coat, and putting his own halfway on -in place of it.</p> - -<p>The reason for this may be easily guessed. The -gray coats—for stripes are no longer in vogue in -New York State—bore each man’s prison number, -and, therefore, by such a simple exchange, identities -could be shifted temporarily.</p> - -<p>Gordon’s number was 39,470, and, of course, it -was known to all the keepers and prisoners as standing -for the identity of the formidable Green Eye. The -other man’s number, on the other hand, had no particular -significance, for the yegg was an ordinary -criminal, of comparatively little intelligence, who had -not made himself conspicuous in any way, either in -or out of the prison.</p> - -<p>Consequently, if there should prove to be later on -any reason to believe that Libby was missing, his absence -would not be likely to cause any great commotion, -for it would be taken for granted that his capture -was only a question of time.</p> - -<p>Gordon had reasoned shrewdly, as usual, and had -thus, by his own promptness and resourcefulness, put -himself in the way of the luck that subsequently -favored him.</p> - -<p>He had feigned an injury, and had thrown himself<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> -down in the prison courtyard, after taking care to -stagger close to the main gates, and a shadow of the -projecting section of the wall. There he was ignored, -for the flames in the burning wing were mounting -higher and higher, and all the men were not yet out -of it.</p> - -<p>It was some minutes before Green Eye’s chance -had come, but it did come, as he had felt sure it would. -One of the guards rushed past him and approached -a small door at one side of the big, double gates. Evidently -the man had been sent on some important errand, -which would take him outside the prison walls.</p> - -<p>The keeper looked behind him with a wary eye -to make sure that he was not followed. He had -fears of a general break for liberty, but apparently -no one was paying any attention to him.</p> - -<p>Therefore he excitedly inserted a key in the lock, -and, after some fumbling, opened the door. It was -then that Gordon had pounced upon him.</p> - -<p>One blow had been enough. It caught the unfortunate -guard behind the ear and sent him hurtling -through the opening. In a moment the convict had -followed.</p> - -<p>Gordon dashed across the road before the vanguard -of the crowd from the town had reached the -spot, and, dodging through the extensive lumber yard, -made his way to the outskirts of Dannemora, his goal -being a certain tumble-down, abandoned house.</p> - -<p>There he found what he sought—a moisture-proof -box of considerable size, containing a complete outfit<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> -of clothing, an automatic of the latest model, and no -less than five hundred dollars in gold.</p> - -<p>We have hinted that Ernest Gordon was no ordinary -criminal, and the truth of that has doubtless -begun to shine through this narrative. Here, at any -rate, is striking evidence of it.</p> - -<p>Green Eye had always preferred to work alone, as -many of the most successful criminals have done. He -had friends, however, and one of these had carried -out his directions. The gates of Clinton Prison had -not even closed behind Gordon, when the latter had -begun to plan for a possible escape, and the planting -of this box played an important part in the arrangement.</p> - -<p>During his many months in the prison, Green Eye -had not succeeded in liberating himself, but now that -the fire had enabled him to escape, the box was waiting -for him, thanks to his unusual foresight.</p> - -<p>Thus it was that he had completely eluded pursuit. -The authorities were looking for a commonplace, unimaginative -yegg, who went by the name of Shang -Libby, and who might be expected to retain some, at -least, of his prison garments. It is little wonder, -therefore, that they failed to capture the polished and -superdaring Gordon, who lost no time in starting for -New York City in a sleeping car.</p> - -<p>The fugitive’s first thought when he reached the -metropolis was one of revenge. He had no idea of -killing Nick Carter for the part the latter had played -in his downfall, for murder had never been in his -line. There are many other kinds of revenge, however,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> -and Gordon was determined to avail himself of -one or more of them.</p> - -<p>He wished to humiliate Nick to the utmost, if possible, -and, incidentally, to do so in such a way that -his success would line his pockets with gold.</p> - -<p>He had a plan, when he presented himself at Nick’s -door, but it was lacking in many details, for these he -had decided to leave to the inspiration of the moment. -In any case, however, he meant to palm himself off -as a would-be client, and, having thus gained the -detective’s confidence, to proceed with the rest of the -scheme, or some modification of it.</p> - -<p>“Is Mr. Carter in?” he asked anxiously, when the -butler opened the door.</p> - -<p>“No, sir,” the servant replied, noting with approval -the visitor’s apparent prosperity and air of importance. -“Mr. Carter is out of town at present.”</p> - -<p>“Is it possible? For how long?”</p> - -<p>“He went away day before yesterday, and expected -to be absent for two weeks.”</p> - -<p>“How unfortunate! I have a case of the utmost -importance—the sort of thing no one else can handle,” -the caller said, with the semblance of profound disappointment. -“One of his assistants might help me to -some extent, however, or bring the matter to Mr. Carter’s -attention by telegraph.”</p> - -<p>Again the butler shook his head regretfully. He -was being very indiscreet, but he did not suspect it -for a moment, owing to the impression the stranger -made upon him.</p> - -<p>“I’m afraid that’s out of the question, too, sir,”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> -he answered. “There is no one at home who could -attend to you. It’s the first time it has happened in -years.”</p> - -<p>The stranger seemed greatly distressed.</p> - -<p>“This is terrible!” he cried. “I don’t know what -I shall do if I can’t get hold of Mr. Carter. I would -be very sorry to break up his vacation, but I’m sure -if he knew the circumstances, he would not hesitate -for a moment. Some very prominent people are involved, -and, unless something is done speedily, there -will be nothing short of a national scandal. Surely, -you will give me Mr. Carter’s address, will you not?”</p> - -<p>The butler hesitated—and fell.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER IV. -<br /> -<small>THE DETECTIVE’S “HALFWAY HOUSE.”</small></h2> - - -<p>Chick had been in favor of cutting off all communication -with the detective’s residence in New York. -It was not because he himself felt any great need of a -holiday, but rather because he had an exaggerated -notion that his chief was badly in need of a change.</p> - -<p>Nick, however, had vetoed this suggestion, and left -things largely to his butler’s discretion. The butler -had been in his service for years, and had shown himself -by no means a fool.</p> - -<p>“If anything big develops,” Nick had told him, “do -not hesitate to telegraph for me, or have me called -on the long distance—if there isn’t time to write. I -don’t want to miss an important case.”</p> - -<p>The butler remembered these words now—and forgot -that he did not even know the caller’s name. Carried -away by the man’s air of authority, he blurted -out the desired information.</p> - -<p>“Mr. Carter is staying at the Buck’s Head Inn, -Little Saranac Lake, sir,” he said.</p> - -<p>“Many thanks! That’s all I need. I’m sure Mr. -Carter will respond at once when he hears what’s in -the wind,” Gordon declared importantly, and having -made a note of the address, thanked the butler again, -and returned to the waiting taxi.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span></p> - -<p>Green Eye had seen a great light as a result of the -butler’s incautious revelations, and all his previous -plans had been discarded. In their place a new one -was growing—a plan that promised to set a record for -daring, and to bring the detective nearer to professional -shipwreck than he had been in all of his career.</p> - -<p>The new plan did not involve an interview with -Nick. On the contrary, it was built upon the fact -that the detective was hundreds of miles away, buried -in the woods.</p> - -<p>Therefore, as may be guessed, Green Eye did not -make use of the address the butler had given him. He -was quite satisfied to have created the impression that -he intended to communicate with Nick at once, and -that the latter might return in the course of a day -or two.</p> - -<p>The following morning an individual climbed the -stairs leading to one of Nick’s “halfway houses,” that -particular one being on One Hundred and Twenty-fifth -Street.</p> - -<p>Nick Carter maintained a number of these places -in different parts of the city, and in each of them -he kept several complete changes of clothing and a -supply of wigs, false mustaches, beards, make-up articles, -and the like.</p> - -<p>Their mission is perfectly obvious. Under ordinary -circumstances, it was safe enough for the detective -and his assistants to disguise themselves at home, -and to return to their headquarters at their pleasure. -When they were handling an unusually delicate case, -however, or dealing with exceptionally clever lawbreakers,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> -they found it necessary to take further precautions, -and these so-called halfway houses then came -in handy.</p> - -<p>In other words, the secret bases of supplies—each -of which had two exits—made it possible for them to -leave and return to their headquarters openly, and -without disguise, although the intervening hours might -be devoted to the most relentless shadowing, carried -on under all sorts of guises.</p> - -<p>The man who climbed the stairs at the One Hundred -and Twenty-fifth Street place, therefore, might -easily have been Nick in the act of returning from -some such expedition. He did not look in the least -like the great detective, but that proved nothing, and -his actions went far to indicate that he was Nick or -one of the latter’s assistants.</p> - -<p>He boldly approached the door of the room, the -location of which did not seem to give him the slightest -trouble, despite the fact that there was nothing on the -door to guide him. He seemed to have some little -difficulty in getting the door open, to be sure; but, -after working at the lock for two or three minutes, -he gained entrance.</p> - -<p>Many criminals would have given a great deal to -know the location of one of those rooms, but Nick -did not dream that one rascal had long since discovered -the halfway house in Harlem.</p> - -<p>The man who had gained entrance by picking the -lock was Green-eye Gordon, of course.</p> - -<p>He had learned of the place shortly before Nick -had caught him, two years or more back, and had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> -been more or less uncertain as to the present use of -the room. The detective might have given it up in the -interval, for all he knew, but he had resolved to put -his knowledge to the test, and now he was rewarded, -for a glance about the place showed him that it was -still employed by the detective.</p> - -<p>Rows of clothing hung in orderly array on hooks -along the walls. At one side there was a long mirror, -which enabled one to view oneself from head to feet, -and between the windows, at the rear, was a dressing -table, which looked as if it might belong to some musical-comedy -star, so cluttered was it with make-up -materials of all sorts.</p> - -<p>It was nearly an hour later when Ernest Gordon -let himself out, locked the door behind him—after -some further effort—and sauntered downstairs.</p> - -<p>Another complete transformation had taken place -in his appearance. He was no longer the hunted criminal -who had escaped from Clinton Prison, no longer -the dressy individual who had presented himself at -the detective’s, the day before, and least of all did he -look like the man who had ascended those stairs some -fifty minutes previously.</p> - -<p>Now, to all intents and purposes, he was Nick -Carter himself.</p> - -<p>Not only was he wearing one of the excellent suits -the detective kept for his more respectable disguises, -but in build, walk, features, and even expression, he -was as much like Nick Carter as one pea is like another.</p> - -<p>His astounding plan had ripened into action.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER V. -<br /> -<small>IN NICK’S SHOES.</small></h2> - - -<p>The butler happened to be out ordering supplies -when the detective’s front bell rang, and, as Mrs. -Peters, the housekeeper, was near the door, she answered -it.</p> - -<p>On the tip of her tongue she had the answer which -she had already given to several inquiries—that the -detective was out of town. Therefore, her amazement -may be imagined when she found—as she supposed—that -it was Nick himself who was outside.</p> - -<p>“For goodness’ sake, sir!” she ejaculated, starting -in surprise. “What in the world are you doing back -so soon?”</p> - -<p>The masquerader smiled one of Nick’s characteristically -genial smiles.</p> - -<p>“I was called back, I’m sorry to say,” he answered, -his voice taking on the detective’s familiar tones. “Joseph -furnished my address yesterday, I believe, and -the man he gave it to wired me to come back. The -case was so important that I felt I had to. I hope -to return, though, in a few days, and, as I have everything -here, of course, I didn’t bring any baggage.”</p> - -<p>“Well, I never!” exclaimed the housekeeper. “I -feared it would be just like this, but I hoped you would -stay this time. Didn’t Mr. Chickering come back with -you?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span></p> - -<p>“No, I left him at Little Saranac, but shall send for -him if I need him.”</p> - -<p>As they had been speaking, the housekeeper had -instinctively stepped aside, and Gordon had passed -her. Now he started up the stairs, in the direction -of the study.</p> - -<p>“You’ll have some lunch ready at the usual time?” -he asked, looking back over his shoulder.</p> - -<p>“Of course, sir,” was the reply; and that was all -that was said.</p> - -<p>If the new arrival had been Nick himself, he would -have smilingly apologized to Mrs. Peters for having -broken in so unexpectedly upon her well-earned relaxation, -but Green Eye was altogether too selfish to think -of such things.</p> - -<p>Thus far he had played his part very well, but there -were many pitfalls in his path, and there was no -knowing at what moment he might fall into one of -them. His eyes were not Nick’s eyes, and his disposition -was not Nick’s disposition—far from it, in fact.</p> - -<p>At any moment his innate harshness and tyranny -might assert themselves.</p> - -<p>Moreover, his habits were unlike those of the detective. -He smoked much more, for one thing, and he -drank. Nick, to be sure, had consumed many a glass -of beer and wine—for effect and under protest—but -he had no real liking for anything of the sort, and -no one had had a better opportunity than he to note -the evil effects of drink.</p> - -<p>Naturally, Gordon had resolved to deny himself -whenever he was under the eye of those who were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> -familiar with Nick’s habits, but it remained to be seen -whether he would succeed in keeping to that resolution.</p> - -<p>Already he had forgotten one little thing which -might have caused him embarrassment, and might still -do so, for that matter. He had meant to offer some -plausible explanation of his failure to let himself in -with a latchkey, but he had forgotten all about it at the -time, and now it might seem strange if he brought up -the subject.</p> - -<p>He had not come straight to the house from the -changing room on One Hundred and Twenty-fifth -Street, but had shown himself in one or two places -where Nick was well known, his idea being to see if -his disguise would pass inspection elsewhere before -submitting himself to the scrutiny of Nick’s household. -That had consumed some time; consequently, the -luncheon hour was near when he arrived at the house.</p> - -<p>He was on fire with eagerness to rummage in Nick’s -desk, hunt about in his file cases, and rifle his safe, -but he knew that he could not accomplish much before -lunch, and he did not wish to make himself conspicuous -by passing over that meal. Perhaps he could -accomplish something, however.</p> - -<p>With that idea in view, he approached one of the -detective’s metal file cases. The drawers were locked, -but he found a means of opening them, and the drawer -he first pulled out was that devoted to the letter “G.”</p> - -<p>A few moments spent in thumbing over the big -cards filed there brought the desired one to light. It -was that devoted to himself, and bore, in addition to a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> -lot of closely written information, a photograph and -a set of facsimile finger prints.</p> - -<p>Gordon seemed to take a grim delight in reading -the accurate description of himself, and the careful -details concerning his career, characteristic methods, -and so on.</p> - -<p>“Not bad!” he muttered presently. “In fact, it’s a -little too true for comfort. I think I shall have to -withdraw it.”</p> - -<p>And going over to the wastebasket, he deliberately -tore the card into small bits and dropped them into the -receptacle.</p> - -<p>After that he returned to the file case, fingered -over some of the other cards, and then leaned thoughtfully -on the opened drawer.</p> - -<p>“There are hundreds and thousands of cases recorded -here,” he mused, “but apparently they are not -the most important ones, and it’s safe to say that -Carter isn’t keeping records of his most confidential -affairs in such an easily accessible place. I have no -doubt I could milk lots of these fellows for tidy little -sums, but I’m after big game just now—not rabbits.”</p> - -<p>His gaze strayed in the direction of the detective’s -safe, and a more calculating look came into his eyes.</p> - -<p>“I shouldn’t be surprised if you hold the records -I’m looking for—or some of them,” he muttered aloud, -addressing the big safe. “If not, you may contain -something else of interest. At any rate, I’m going to -find out, the first chance I get.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER VI. -<br /> -<small>AN INTERRUPTION.</small></h2> - - -<p>The audacity of Green-eye Gordon’s venture has -doubtless been apparent from the beginning, but now -the real purpose of his impersonation has begun to -be discernible.</p> - -<p>He was not there in Nick Carter’s shoes, in undisturbed -possession of the detective’s study, for the -mere satisfaction involved in such a daring masquerade. -Of course, the experience was a stimulating -one, and the clever rascal chuckled to himself every -time he pictured Nick’s face when the detective learned -the truth. It was something more practical, though, -that had brought him there.</p> - -<p>Naturally, if he succeeded in gaining access to the -safe, he would not be above appropriating to his own -uses whatever money and valuables he might find -there, but his desires even went beyond that—far -beyond it.</p> - -<p>He knew that Nick had handled many of the most -delicate cases that had ever developed in this country, -and was the custodian of more secrets than had -come into the possession of any other American.</p> - -<p>Among those secrets he had no doubt were many -of such a nature that those concerned would feel compelled -to part with large sums of money, in order that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> -their secrets might be kept. Some of them doubtless -were men and women now wealthy or distinguished, -who had some secret connected with their past lives -which they would go to almost any lengths to keep -the world from knowing. In other cases, the guilty -might be dead, or unable to pay, but the records would -probably give the names of relatives, friends, or -former business associates who might be successfully -blackmailed.</p> - -<p>That was it—blackmail on a huge and hitherto -unprecedented scale.</p> - -<p>The accomplished scoundrel had made up his mind -that Nick Carter’s records would prove nothing less -than a gold mine, and he meant to work that mine -for all it was worth in the next week or ten days. Nick -might have destroyed the most confidential and dangerous -of these records, but Gordon did not believe -that to be the case.</p> - -<p>“They are too valuable to him in his work,” he told -himself. “And, even if they were not, the keeping of -records gets to be a habit. Of course, he may realize -that some of them would be more dangerous than a -few tons of dynamite, if they should fall into the -wrong hands, and he may have placed the ones of -that description in some safe-deposit vault. If he -has, that will mean much more trouble, but if I can -locate the vault, I ought to be able to trick those in -charge of it into giving me access to the box, even -if I can’t produce the key. Am I not Carter himself, -and are not keys lost or mislaid in the best-regulated -families?</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Let’s hope that won’t be necessary, though. I -trust I shall find what I want right in this room.”</p> - -<p>He was summoned to luncheon then, but he came -through the ordeal that followed with flying colors. -Joseph, the detective’s butler, served him in person, -and evidently found nothing more suspicious than Mrs. -Peters had done. Gordon still had himself well in -hand, and, after the brief greetings were over, little -was said.</p> - -<p>“I’ll eat what’s set before me,” Green Eye had decided. -“The servants are well trained, and ought to -know Carter’s likes and dislikes by this time; therefore -I can’t go far wrong in eating what they serve, whether -I like it or not. It won’t be easy to deny myself, and -to keep on the alert, but I shall have to pay some penalties, -I suppose, for aspiring to be the great and exalted -Nick Carter.” And he grinned at the thought.</p> - -<p>After luncheon the impostor hurried back upstairs, -and hunted up a box of Nick’s favorite Havana cigars. -A handful of them underwent a careful selection, and -a more or less appreciative sniffing before being transferred -to his pocket.</p> - -<p>“Not so bad,” he commented mentally. “A little -too dry, though, and I’ve smoked better.”</p> - -<p>Nevertheless, he did not seem averse to smoking -these, one after another.</p> - -<p>“I shall have to go out before long, I suppose,” -he decided. “It’s understood that I’ve been called -back on important business, and, as it isn’t convenient -for my new client to call on me here, I’ll be expected<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> -to meet him elsewhere, and to make a noise like action.”</p> - -<p>That did not deter him, however, from making an -immediate descent upon the safe, but he soon found -that he would be obliged to defer serious activities in -that connection. He had hoped to be able to open -the safe by merely putting one ear to the door and -listening to the fall of the tumblers in the lock, but -five or ten minutes’ effort convinced him that that -was out of the question.</p> - -<p>“It can’t be done with a lock like this,” he concluded, -with a muttered imprecation. “It looks to me -as if I would have to force my way in if I’m going -to get in at all. That will be decidedly risky, at best, -but I think I can do it quietly enough, and, after it’s -over, I ought to be able to find some means of concealing -my handiwork. Not just now, though, thanks. -I’ll take something a little easier, first.”</p> - -<p>And with that he turned his attention to the desk.</p> - -<p>The top had been cleared of its accumulation of -papers before the detective’s departure, and the drawers -were all locked, but Green Eye was provided with -certain handy little tools. To be sure, it took two or -three minutes to open each drawer, but soon the contents -of three or four of them lay at his disposal -in plain sight, and he determined to examine these -papers and books before opening the other drawers.</p> - -<p>He was engaged in this absorbing occupation, when -the lower bell rang and roused him with a start.</p> - -<p>“Wonder who that is?” he asked himself apprehensively, -then shrugged his shoulders. “This won’t do!”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> -he muttered. “If I’m going to be as nervous as a cat -at every sound, I had better give up. What difference -does it make who it is; I’m master of the situation.”</p> - -<p>He listened attentively, and heard Joseph go to -the door, after which there was a murmur of voices, -followed by steps on the stairs. Presently, the butler -knocked and entered.</p> - -<p>“I thought I told you at luncheon that I was still -out of town,” Gordon said angrily. “I came back for -this one case, nothing else, and I don’t want to be -bothered by every Tom, Dick, and Harry.”</p> - -<p>“I didn’t forget, sir, I assure you,” Joseph said -apologetically. “It’s Mr. Cray, though, and I felt -you would want to make an exception in his case. -There’s a gentleman with him.”</p> - -<p>Gordon knew what that meant, for he had studied -Nick Carter almost as thoroughly as the detective -had studied him. Moreover, had he not himself figured -not inconspicuously in detective circles not many -years before? Consequently, he knew that the Cray -referred to was Jack Cray, a former police detective, -who for years had been in business for himself, and -who, curiously enough, was a close friend of Nick’s.</p> - -<p>The two were about as unlike as possible, but Cray, -big, methodical, tireless, and brave to the point of -recklessness, was a fine example of his type, and had -won Nick’s friendship and assistance, giving, in return, -a rare gratitude and loyalty.</p> - -<p>Nick had thrown many cases in Cray’s way, and, -on the other hand, had found his big, lumbering friend -of considerable assistance now and then. In fact, they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> -worked together unusually well, for Cray had all the -plodding methods of the police department at his command, -to supplement Carter’s swift intuitions, and -the ex-police detective—unlike many of his kind—was -always ready to follow Nick’s leadership, and defer -to the latter’s better judgment.</p> - -<p>Should the bogus Nick Carter see Cray, though? -He did not in the least fear discovery at Cray’s hands, -but the interview might lead to something embarrassing. -On the other hand, it might be most fortunate.</p> - -<p>Obviously, Cray had brought one of his clients to -Nick, and that meant that the big fellow felt himself -more or less out of his depth, and wished to consult -with his brilliant friend.</p> - -<p>If the case were important enough, it would be -worth while for Green Eye to look into it. He felt -himself quite capable of solving almost any puzzle if -he chose to solve it, but, aside from that, there was -a possibility of pickings—of blackmail again. But -much depended upon the client.</p> - -<p>“Who is the other man?” the criminal asked eagerly. -“Did Cray say?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir. It’s Mr. Griswold—Mr. Lane A. Griswold.”</p> - -<p>The man behind the desk whistled softly, and a -gleam came into his eyes.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER VII. -<br /> -<small>THE RASCAL’S FIRST CLIENT.</small></h2> - - -<p>Green Eye’s decision had been an immediate one -when he heard the second man’s name, for Lane A. -Griswold was several times a millionaire, and the -owner of the New York <em>Chronicle and Observer</em>, one -of the biggest and most influential of the country -morning papers—the first and most conspicuous link in -the chain of daily publications which now stretched all -the way across the continent.</p> - -<p>Millionaires were worth cultivating, according to -Gordon’s philosophy, and he reasoned that if he could -get any sort of a hold upon this one, it might mean -the greatest stroke of luck in his life.</p> - -<p>It was well to be on the safe side, however, and -he knew that Cray sometimes exhibited an unexpected -degree of intelligence. In the light of that thought, he -took an automatic from one of the open drawers, examined -it to make sure that it was loaded and in first-class -condition, and then dropped it into the right-hand -pocket of his coat.</p> - -<p>After that he closed the drawers, darkened the room, -took up his cigar, and leaned back in his chair.</p> - -<p>“Nick Carter” was ready for another case—as ready -as a spider is for a fly.</p> - -<p>The face of the man was calm, his expression indifferent,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> -but it is probable that his heart was beating -at an unusually rapid rate, and that more or less fear -was lurking behind that noncommittal exterior.</p> - -<p>It would have been strange, indeed, had it not been -the case, for, with all his daring, this was no commonplace, -everyday affair for Ernest Gordon. He might -remind himself as much as he pleased that he was -“officially” dead, burned in the fire at Clinton Prison, -and that no one would be looking for him for that -reason, but the many months he had spent within those -grim walls had told upon him physically and mentally.</p> - -<p>In other words, he was not yet his old self. The -unnatural conditions of prison life so lately left behind -had incapacitated him to a certain extent for this -abrupt plunge into the life outside, especially a plunge -of such an interesting character, yet he gave no sign -of all this, and, unless something unforeseen developed, -he would doubtless gain confidence and ability as -time went on.</p> - -<p>For that matter, he had already planned and begun -to carry out a scheme which would have daunted any -other criminal in the country.</p> - -<p>The supposed detective regarded his visitors with -lowered eyes as he rose languidly from his chair.</p> - -<p>Jack Cray’s red face was redder than usual with -excitement, and there was something about his manner -that suggested he had brought the famous newspaper -owner there for no trivial reason.</p> - -<p>The latter was a man rather over medium height, -dressed in the very latest fashion, but with a trace of -untidiness that suggested a careless valet. His face<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> -was inclined to be sallow, and the light eyes, prominent -and rather jerky in their movements, had heavy -bags under them, despite the fact that their owner must -still have been under fifty.</p> - -<p>For the rest, his chin was firm, perhaps a little pugnacious, -and his bearing was that of a man who fully -realizes his importance.</p> - -<p>“This is Mr. Lane A. Griswold, the owner of the -<em>Chronicle and Observer</em>, you know, Carter,” explained -the flustered Cray. “Mr. Griswold, my friend, Nicholas -Carter.”</p> - -<p>Gordon kept his eyelids partially drawn down as -he greeted the millionaire. It was a trick of Carter’s -when thinking. In fact, the detective often closed his -eyes altogether at such times. Gordon had noted -this, and was making use of it in order to conceal -the color of his eyes, the one weak point about his -impersonation, physically considered.</p> - -<p>Cray was inclined to clip his words short, and leave -out as many of them as he could, thereby giving an -impression of unusual directness, and a haste that -cannot stop for trifles.</p> - -<p>“Very important case, this one, Mr. Griswold has -brought me,” he said. “Delicate matter, too—decidedly. -Did little job for him once, so he brought me -this. Thought I’d better let you in on it, though.”</p> - -<p>Gordon nodded slightly, as if all this was quite -a matter of course.</p> - -<p>“I shall be glad to hear what it is about, Mr. Griswold,” -he said. “Of course, I’m very busy, as always, -but——”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I understand that,” the newspaper proprietor broke -in. “I’ll make this well worth while for both of you, -though, if you can handle it without publicity.”</p> - -<p>Green Eye smiled. “That sounds rather strange -from the lips of our greatest apostle of publicity,” he -commented.</p> - -<p>Griswold gave a gesture of impatience. “Perhaps -so,” he admitted. “I can’t help that, though. Facts -are facts, and this would be most embarrassing to me -if any of my competitors should get hold of it, or even -if it were spread by word of mouth.”</p> - -<p>He fixed Gordon with his eyes, looking him up and -down, as if scrutinizing an applicant for the position -of office boy—supposing a millionaire would descend -to such trivialities.</p> - -<p>But the bogus detective stood the scrutiny very well. -To tell the truth, Ernest Gordon was really beginning -to enjoy himself. Griswold’s first words could hardly -have sounded more promising. They suggested all -sorts of delightful and golden possibilities.</p> - -<p>It seemed perfectly plain that this was just the sort -of thing he was looking for—the case of a wealthy, -prominent man, who had something to hide, and was -willing to pay liberally to those who would keep his -secret.</p> - -<p>“I can trust you implicitly, whether you succeed or -fail, to reveal no word of what I’m about to tell you?” -Griswold asked sharply.</p> - -<p>The man behind the desk shrugged his shoulders -in a way that was characteristic of Nick Carter on -occasion.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I’ve been in the confidence of presidents and senators, -ambassadors and noblemen—and millionaires,” -he returned, tacking on the word “millionaires” as if it -were an afterthought. “In fact, I may claim some -knowledge of the secrets of royalty.”</p> - -<p>It was all perfectly true from Nick Carter’s standpoint, -but the detective himself would not have put it -in that way, or boasted of it at all.</p> - -<p>“Of course, you may confide in me or not, as you -please,” Green Eye continued, warming up as he -gained self-confidence.</p> - -<p>“Tut-tut!” ejaculated Griswold, with a somewhat -pained expression. He had come, with reason, to believe -that wealth would buy anything, and he was -not quite prepared for this show of indifference. “I -meant no offense, Mr. Carter, you may be sure. As -I said, though, this is a very ticklish business——”</p> - -<p>“We’ll take that for granted,” Gordon quietly interrupted. -“Were you going to give me the details, Mr. -Griswold?”</p> - -<p>His cool, almost insolent tone gave no hint of the -turmoil of impatience raging within.</p> - -<p>What was he about to hear, and what use would -he make of it—in other words, how much could he -make it yield him in cold, hard cash, or crackling bank -notes?</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER VIII. -<br /> -<small>THE ABSCONDING TREASURER.</small></h2> - - -<p>For a time it looked as if the millionaire newspaper -proprietor meant to resent the supposed detective’s -effrontery in some way, but he managed to swallow -his wrath, and, after reseating himself and angrily -fingering his watch chain, got down to business.</p> - -<p>Probably he had decided that it would be very poor -policy to have words with a man of Nick’s reputation, -especially when he was badly in need of the detective’s -services.</p> - -<p>After clearing his throat, he began:</p> - -<p>“I have explained it all to Mr. Cray, here, but perhaps -I had better go over it again, in my own way. -The case is in connection with the relief fund which -my papers, headed by the <em>Chronicle and Observer</em>, have -raised for the Hattontown sufferers.”</p> - -<p>Gordon nodded almost imperceptibly. The terrible -fire at Hattontown, which had destroyed a large part -of one of New England’s busiest little manufacturing -cities, had occurred while he was still in prison. He -had read of it, however, in the papers to which he had -access in the prison library, and for that reason he -was familiar with the main facts.</p> - -<p>Hundreds of residences and business blocks had -been destroyed, with an appalling property loss and a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> -considerable loss of life, as well. Thousands of persons, -men, women, and children, had been rendered -homeless and penniless.</p> - -<p>That was where Griswold’s chain of newspapers -had taken a hand. Always quick to respond to such -emergencies—largely, it is to be feared, for the advertising -it gave them—they had started to raise a fund -for the destitute victims, and, thanks to their tremendous -combined circulations, the amount had soon attained -imposing proportions.</p> - -<p>Part of it had been paid out for the immediate -needs of the victims, but most of it, according to the -latest reports Gordon had seen, was being retained -for more permanent aid, to provide work, homes, et -cetera.</p> - -<p>What could there be about this fund, Green Eye -wondered, that required investigation, particularly an -investigation prompted by the proprietor of the newspapers -responsible for it.</p> - -<p>“As usual,” Griswold went on. “I started the fund -by subscribing five thousand dollars, and many men -of substance have contributed large sums, although -none so large as that. You may or may not know -that the receipts to date total a little over a hundred -thousand dollars.”</p> - -<p>“A very neat sum, indeed,” Gordon commented, -“and one that is very creditable to those who have -contributed, especially those who have done so anonymously.”</p> - -<p>He could not resist that slight dig, for he knew -perfectly well that Lane A. Griswold had never been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> -guilty of making an anonymous contribution in his -life. He was never satisfied unless his name could -head the list.</p> - -<p>Perhaps this baiting was unwise, but Green Eye -did not think so. A little of it, he felt sure, would -be good for the millionaire, and give him a wholesome -fear of the supposed detective. He decided, -though, to let it go at that, for the present, at least.</p> - -<p>As for Griswold, after swallowing hard two or three -times, he evidently determined to ignore the thrust.</p> - -<p>“But how could a criminal case, delicate or otherwise, -have arisen out of such a philanthropic enterprise?” -Green Eye queried innocently.</p> - -<p>If pressed, he could have given a pretty shrewd -guess, but it suited his purpose just then to take another -course.</p> - -<p>“It’s simple enough—too infernally simple!” Griswold -retorted feelingly. “The money has been stolen, -that’s all!”</p> - -<p>Gordon had suspected something of the sort, but -it was pleasing to hear it put into words. A hundred-thousand-dollar -relief fund reposing safely in some -bank vault was of only theoretical interest to him, -along with the hundreds of millions stored in similar -vaults within a radius of a few miles of Nick Carter’s -study. A hundred thousand dollars—or anywhere -near that amount—in the hands of a fugitive from justice -was a very different matter, however. There -were possibilities in that situation.</p> - -<p>“Ah, I’m not surprised!” Gordon remarked calmly.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> -“How and when was the money taken? I assume you -don’t know by whom?”</p> - -<p>“But I do—I know only too well,” Griswold told -him promptly.</p> - -<p>“You do?”</p> - -<p>“There’s no room for doubt about it. The money -was taken by a man named John Simpson, an old -and trusted employee of the <em>Chronicle and Observer</em>.”</p> - -<p>“How did he happen to have access to it, may I -ask?”</p> - -<p>“I made him the treasurer of the fund. I never -dreamed of anything of this sort. He had served in a -similar capacity more than once in the past, and always -with the most scrupulous fidelity.”</p> - -<p>“But how did he have possession of the whole -fund, if it was collected by different newspapers?”</p> - -<p>“Daily drafts were sent to the <em>Chronicle and Observer</em>, -as the parent newspaper of the chain. Our -New York office is the general headquarters, you -know.”</p> - -<p>“I see. Simpson is missing, is he, along with the -money?”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER IX. -<br /> -<small>CHANCE PLAYS INTO GORDON’S HANDS.</small></h2> - - -<p>The newspaper proprietor nodded gloomily in response -to Gordon’s question.</p> - -<p>“Yes,” he answered, “Simpson disappeared four -days ago.”</p> - -<p>“Has he a family?”</p> - -<p>“A wife.”</p> - -<p>“And she knows nothing about him, or professes -to know nothing?”</p> - -<p>“I feel sure she’s as much in the dark as we are.”</p> - -<p>“Perhaps—perhaps not,” murmured the bogus detective, -joining the tips of his fingers as he had seen -Nick do. “Please tell me now how the fellow managed -to get hold of the money, to get it out of the -bank or banks in which it had been deposited to the -credit of the fund. Surely, his wasn’t the only signature -required, was it? The checks drawn against -the fund must have been countersigned by some one -else?”</p> - -<p>“They were—by Mr. Driggs, the vice president of -our organization.”</p> - -<p>“Then how——”</p> - -<p>“In a very ingenious way. I wouldn’t have thought -John Simpson capable of so much adroitness. I was -away at the time, but he prevailed upon Mr. Driggs<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> -to withdraw the fund from the two New York banks -in which it had been deposited—the Broadway Exchange -Bank, and the Hudson National—and to transfer -everything to the Cotton and Wool National at -Hattontown.”</p> - -<p>“Thus making it possible to deal with only one -bank, and that a smaller one whose officials presumably -were not so wary,” Green Eye commented judicially. -“What excuse did he give?”</p> - -<p>“A most plausible one. He pointed out that the -Hattontown sufferers and the citizens generally would -feel more comfortable, more sure of the reality of -the fund if they knew that it had been transferred to -one of their local banks. ‘We aren’t ready to pay -the money all over to them,’ he told Driggs. ‘Most -of them would like to have it all at once, of course, -and they’re somewhat dissatisfied, even though the -more sensible among them realize that mere temporary -relief isn’t a solution to their problems. If we transfer -the fund to Hattontown, however, that will encourage -them. They will feel it is almost in their -hands.’</p> - -<p>“Well, it looked like sound sense, and Driggs agreed, -with the result that every cent was withdrawn from the -two New York banks. As you say, that made it much -easier for the thief. Still, the task that remained -would have seemed big enough to most men. In fact, -they would have passed it up as impossible. Not so -our old, reliable John Simpson, though—confound -him! After plodding along as methodically as any -spiritless work horse for fifteen or eighteen years, he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> -had suddenly developed a streak of lawlessness, and, -along with it, in some unaccountable fashion, had -come something approaching brilliancy of mind. The -Hattontown bank was now the custodian of the entire -fund, less what had been paid out to the victims for -their immediate necessities. As the disbursements -amounted to a little less than twenty thousand, there -was a balance of about eighty thousand when the -transfer took place. Naturally, Simpson then turned -his attention to Hattontown.</p> - -<p>“The Cotton and Wool Bank there, so far as I’ve -been able to ascertain, is a fair sample of hundreds of -good, average, conservatively conducted institutions -of the kind of our smaller cities. Apparently there -was no rottenness of which Simpson could take advantage, -and evidently he didn’t waste time over that -possibility. He seems to have felt himself quite -capable of getting that money out by his own unaided -efforts, and subsequent events prove that his confidence -was far from misplaced.”</p> - -<p>“What did he do?” Gordon urged eagerly.</p> - -<p>He was greatly interested; not from the standpoint -of law and order, but from that of one criminal studying -the work of another. He had been inclined at first -to think that the fugitive would be easy to catch, -and easy to swindle out of the proceeds of the theft, -but he was not so sure of that now.</p> - -<p>“You would never guess in a hundred years, gentlemen,” -Griswold assured his two hearers. “This is -new to Cray, too,” he added in explanation, addressing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> -Gordon. “I didn’t cover this point when I explained -matters to him.</p> - -<p>“This is the way he worked it: After getting the -money where he wanted it, he went to Driggs with -another adroit idea—a suggestion for the publicity -stunt this time. One of the smaller papers under my -ownership, as you probably know, is published in -Hattontown—the Hattontown <em>Observer</em>. Well, -Simpson went to Driggs and proposed that that eighty -thousand dollars be temporarily withdrawn from the -bank in gold, and exhibited under strong guard in the -windows of the <em>Observer</em> office. See the point? He -argued very convincingly that the sight of so much -money would create the greatest possible local sensation, -and give the people in Hattontown an exalted idea -of the importance and power of the <em>Observer</em>. Driggs -offered certain objections, but Simpson argued them -away without much trouble. As a matter of fact, I -have no doubt but that I would have fallen for it as -readily as Driggs did.”</p> - -<p>The millionaire paused and smiled in a rather grim -fashion.</p> - -<p>“To tell the truth, I’ve actually adopted the suggestion,” -he informed them. “Eighty thousand dollars -in gold is actually on exhibition at the present time -in the windows of the Hattontown <em>Observer</em>—under -the eyes of armed guards day and night.”</p> - -<p>“But——” Gordon had started to speak, but a gesture -of Griswold’s stopped him.</p> - -<p>“Let me explain,” the great newspaper owner hastened -to say. “The original fund has been stolen, but,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> -of course, that fact is known only to very few, including -the officials of the Cotton and Wool Bank in -Hattontown. We cannot afford to let the truth get -out, if we can possibly help it, for it would be a serious -blow to the prestige of our organization; therefore -I have duplicated the fund, drawing on my private -account for the purpose, and, as Simpson suggested, -the money has been placed on exhibition. It’s -attracting an immense amount of favorable attention, -and will doubtless mean a great increase in circulation -for the Hattontown <em>Observer</em>. We have that much to -thank Simpson for, at any rate.”</p> - -<p>“Very extraordinary!” murmured the supposed detective -aloud. “Better and better!” he commented inwardly. -“I haven’t any scruples to speak of, but it -goes without saying that I’d rather relieve this hog -of a millionaire of eighty thousand than take it from a -few hundreds of poor devils who have been cleaned -out of everything. That money seems to be fatherless, -and waiting to be adopted. It was contributed to the -fund, but the fund is now complete without it. It -doesn’t belong to Simpson, and Griswold doesn’t need -it. Obviously, it’s mine, and I’m going to have it.”</p> - -<p>“But you haven’t told us yet,” he added, addressing -his visitors, “how the missing treasurer actually got -his hands on the money. The bank in Hattontown -naturally wouldn’t have turned any such amount over -to a stranger.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER X. -<br /> -<small>THE IMPOSTOR’S CLEVERNESS.</small></h2> - - -<p>“You may take that for granted, of course,” Griswold -agreed, in reference to the bogus detective’s last -suggestion.</p> - -<p>“But Simpson was treasurer of the fund,” Cray -interposed. “He worked it so the bank accepted his -authority, and——”</p> - -<p>Gordon was studying the millionaire’s face, and was -clever enough to read what he saw there.</p> - -<p>“By no means, my dear Cray,” he said. “Simpson -didn’t approach the Hattontown bank in his capacity -as treasurer of the fund. He knew better than to -do that—knew that he would have no standing there, -unless identified and backed up by the organization -itself. He knew, too, as I reason it out, that the -bank would look for any action to come from the -local newspaper, and would be off its guard if it did, -the <em>Observer’s</em> man being naturally known to the bank -officials.”</p> - -<p>He was watching Griswold narrowly all the time, -and saw that he was on the right track.</p> - -<p>“Mean he had an accomplice on the Hattontown -paper?” demanded Cray, looking startled.</p> - -<p>“By no means,” Gordon returned calmly, still using -Griswold’s expression as a guide. “There’s such a -thing, though, as impersonation, my friend.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span></p> - -<p>It was a venturesome leap, but it proved surprisingly -successful.</p> - -<p>“By Jove!” ejaculated the millionaire, looking at -the supposed Nick Carter in amazement and with a -new respect. “You have hit the nail on the head, -Mr. Carter! How in the world——”</p> - -<p>Gordon shrugged his shoulders.</p> - -<p>“Oh, it was very simple,” he confessed. “I read -it all in your face.”</p> - -<p>He rightly guessed that that would not make it -seem any the less remarkable in Griswold’s eyes.</p> - -<p>“I don’t see how,” declared the millionaire.</p> - -<p>“Some stunt!” Cray commented admiringly.</p> - -<p>“I did just that, though,” Green Eye assured the -millionaire. “Of course, I saw in advance that Simpson -would have been powerless unless introduced by -the manager of your local paper, and supplied with -credentials from the New York office. The credentials -might have been forged, to be sure, but a local introduction -would have been out of the question without -the assistance of a confederate to impersonate -the manager, or some one else in authority on the -paper. And if there was any impersonating to be -done, it was clear that Simpson could do it himself. -For the rest, I depended upon your expression, Mr. -Griswold, to tell me when I got off the track.”</p> - -<p>“It is useless to try to belittle your achievements, -sir,” the millionaire told him. “I consider it an evidence -of most unusual ability. You have hit upon -the truth in a manner that has taken my breath away. -You are quite right, Mr. Carter. The trick was turned<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> -by means of impersonation, and the man impersonated -was the business manager of the Hattontown <em>Observer</em>. -Charles Danby is his name, and, as it happens, -he and Simpson resemble each other more or less. -Simpson pleaded overwork as a result of his extra -duties in connection with the fund, and got permission -to be away for a couple of days. Evidently he lost -no time in going to Hattontown, and there he presented -himself at the bank in the guise of Danby.”</p> - -<p>“The fellow must have had nerve!” contributed Jack -Cray. “Hard to believe he isn’t a dyed-in-the-wool -crook.”</p> - -<p>“It’s almost incredible,” Griswold agreed, “but apparently -there’s no room for doubt that Simpson did -the whole business. He was known at the bank, but -no one suspected the deception, and the only thing -the bank people can remember that was queer about -him was his husky voice, which he attributed to a -cold.</p> - -<p>“In the character of Danby, he informed the bank -people, and showed a letter addressed to Danby and -signed by Driggs, our vice president. The letter was -perfectly genuine, and had been dictated here, in our -New York office, following Driggs’ acceptance of -Simpson’s scheme for exhibiting the gold. Simpson -had managed to get possession of it, however, before -it was sent out, and the real Danby never got a sight -of it. Naturally, the bank officials did not approve. -The plan seemed too spectacular, and altogether too -risky. It was none of their business, though, and they -finally agreed to an immediate removal of the gold.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Simpson had a car handy, then?” queried Green -Eye.</p> - -<p>“Oh, yes, he had an electric outside—said he had -just bought it at secondhand. Hattontown is a place -of twenty or thirty thousand, you know—too large for -every one to know the business of everybody else; consequently, -the bank people had no reason to doubt -his word.”</p> - -<p>“How about guards, though,” Cray broke in.</p> - -<p>“There were none,” Griswold answered. “The bank -people claim to have expostulated on that score, but -Simpson scoffed at their fears. It was broad daylight, -in a peaceable community, and he had only a few -blocks to go. He assured them, however, that the gold -would be carefully guarded when it was put on exhibition, -and reminded them that their responsibility ended -when he had withdrawn the deposit. I forgot to say, -also, that he presented an order on the bank for the -withdrawal, signed by John Simpson, as treasurer.”</p> - -<p>“So they packed all this money up, loaded it on the -electric, and let him make off with it alone, did they?” -queried Gordon. “It certainly sounds like small-time -stuff. I suppose we can’t blame them, though. They -had plenty of reason to think that everything was -straight. Anything more, Mr. Griswold?”</p> - -<p>“That’s practically all, I think,” the millionaire returned. -“We haven’t notified the police, or employed -any other detectives; therefore we have been unable -to trace the rascal’s further movements. The only reason -we know all this is that it has come out naturally. -One of the bank officials met the real Danby the next<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> -day, and expressed surprise that he had heard nothing -of the gold being put on exhibition. You can -imagine Danby’s consternation, and the confidential -reports that have been flying back and forth since -then.”</p> - -<p>“Trail begins in Hattontown, then,” Cray mused -aloud.</p> - -<p>“We may cross it at some other point, though,” -hinted Gordon. “Describe Simpson, please, Mr. Griswold.”</p> - -<p>The newspaper proprietor fumbled in his pocket and -produced a photograph, which Gordon took eagerly.</p> - -<p>“Seen it already,” Cray informed him. “Face commonplace, -easily disguised.”</p> - -<p>The photograph was indeed that of a very ordinary-looking -man. He was a little over forty, one would -have said, but looked older. He was somewhat bald, -wore glasses, which would make it difficult to determine -the color and expression of his eyes, and had a -rather weak, amiable face.</p> - -<p>In short, he belonged to the traditional clerk or -bookkeeper type, and seemed to be one of those men -whose chief object in life is to hold down some poorly -paid position, and to cheerfully make hypocrites of -themselves in order to do so.</p> - -<p>With that pictured face before him, Ernest Gordon -found it very difficult indeed to credit Simpson -with the cleverness and resourcefulness which had -been so conspicuous in Griswold’s account of the -theft. Still, he knew that such men sometimes had -flashes of brilliancy.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Let’s hope it’s nothing more than a flash, though,” -he told himself. “If he were to keep up that pace, -it might not be such a cinch to corner him—but he -won’t. He’ll have a relapse, and when it comes, he’ll -be an easy mark.”</p> - -<p>He continued to examine the face in detail.</p> - -<p>“You feel sure his wife does not know of his -crime?” was his next question.</p> - -<p>“Certainly not,” was the prompt answer. “That -would have been unwise, under the circumstances, for, -in her distress, she would probably blurt it out to her -relatives and friends, and, before we knew it, the -whole thing might get into print. I have inquired -about him, of course, and she may suspect, but that’s -all.”</p> - -<p>“Her address, please.”</p> - -<p>“No. 31 Floral Avenue, New Pelham.”</p> - -<p>Gordon jotted it down on one of Nick Carter’s -pads.</p> - -<p>“Now, will you kindly answer a question that has -been puzzling me for some time?” he went on. “If -we catch this man for you—or, rather, when we catch -him—what are you going to do with him? You can’t -prosecute, you know, without letting the cat out of -the bag.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XI. -<br /> -<small>CRAY GETS HIS ORDERS.</small></h2> - - -<p>“Unfortunately, that’s only too true,” admitted the -millionaire newspaper proprietor. “Secrecy is the -prime requisite in this case, and that precludes the -possibility of arrest. I want you to catch John Simpson, -though, scare him as much as you can, and force -him to disgorge. He’ll be dropped from my staff, of -course, but, beyond that, we can do nothing.”</p> - -<p>“Compounding a felony—accessory after the fact!” -Cray pronounced disapprovingly. “Bad business—very -bad!”</p> - -<p>“I can’t help that,” Griswold persisted, “and I’m -willing to take full responsibility. If any trouble -threatens, I think I have enough influence to fix things -up.”</p> - -<p>Green Eye’s face was grave and thoughtful, but inwardly -he was fairly chuckling with glee.</p> - -<p>He could have asked nothing better than this extraordinary -case, and his only regret was that the -amount involved was not much larger. Everything -seemed to play into his hands in the most unbelievable -way.</p> - -<p>Here was a man, who, despite the surprising adroitness -he had shown, was plainly a novice in crime—a -novice with something like eighty thousand dollars<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> -in gold in his possession. And here, on the other hand, -was a man to whom eighty thousand dollars was only -a drop in the bucket, a trifle hardly worth mentioning.</p> - -<p>The latter’s interest demanded secrecy, required that -the whole thing should be conducted under cover, -and unofficially. What an opportunity it was! If -Simpson could be caught—and Green Eye had no -doubt he could do it alone, or with Jack Cray’s unsuspecting -assistance—it ought to be a very simple matter -to relieve the thief of the coin in some way, and -neglect to turn it over to Griswold. As for the latter, -he could not take the matter into the courts without -ventilating the whole affair from beginning to end.</p> - -<p>Surely, the situation seemed to have been made -expressly for Green-eye Gordon’s benefit.</p> - -<p>If necessary, two or three thousand—or possibly -five—could be left in Simpson’s possession, in order -to buy his silence, or to induce him to give some misleading -explanation of the disappearance of the loot. -And here was Griswold, actually ready to pay handsomely -for having the robber robbed.</p> - -<p>No wonder that Green Eye exclaimed inwardly, -“Oh, joy! This is almost too good to be true!”</p> - -<p>As if influenced by his thought, the newspaper proprietor -broke the brief silence by announcing:</p> - -<p>“There’s the whole story, so far as I know, gentlemen. -I need only add, I think, that I’m prepared -to pay you ten thousand dollars for your services. -What do you say, Mr. Carter? Will you help us? -Mr. Cray has already agreed to my proposition.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span></p> - -<p>Gordon did not answer at once, as Nick would -have done, if too many cases were not already awaiting -solution. He wished to impress the others with -his importance and indifference to monetary considerations.</p> - -<p>“The affair has its points of interest,” he conceded -at length. “I went up to the Adirondacks two or three -days ago, intending to remain there for a couple of -weeks, but I was called back on urgent business. That -case, though important, is a comparatively simple one, -and I can attend to it at intervals.”</p> - -<p>“Then you’ll undertake this?” Griswold asked -eagerly.</p> - -<p>The impostor slowly nodded. “I’m glad of an -opportunity to oblige you, Mr. Griswold,” he said. -“And, of course, I’m always desirous of helping my -friend Cray, here, if possible.”</p> - -<p>“Good!” ejaculated the millionaire. “I’m glad, indeed, -to have you on the case, Mr. Carter. It’s no -flattery to say that you’ve greatly impressed me this -morning. That being settled so satisfactorily, however, -I’ll leave you and Mr. Cray to decide upon your -course of action.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, we need not detain you any longer, I think,” -Green Eye assured him.</p> - -<p>Three minutes later Griswold was gone, after asking -them to call him up either at the office or the -house whenever they desired any further word from -him, or had anything to report.</p> - -<p>As a mark of special respect, Gordon had accompanied -his distinguished client to the door. Now,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> -with a smile on his face, he returned to Nick Carter’s -study, where the ex-police detective was awaiting him -impatiently.</p> - -<p>“Queer case, very!” Cray barked at him, as soon -as he entered the doorway. “What’s your idea? How -are we going to handle it?”</p> - -<p>Doubtless, he had his own ideas as to the proper -methods of procedure, but he was revealing, as usual, -deference where Nick was concerned. His manner -of exaggerated respect made it difficult for the masquerader -to keep his face straight.</p> - -<p>“I’m having the time of my life, without a doubt,” -thought Gordon. “I wouldn’t have missed this for -anything. Here I am in Nick Carter’s house, monarch -of all I survey, with Cray fawning on me like a -faithful dog, and a multimillionaire for a client already. -Soft, soft!”</p> - -<p>The accomplished rascal had really given a very -creditable performance while Lane A. Griswold was -on the scene, but now, in spite of his contempt of Cray, -he decided to give the latter his head for the time. It -would be safer so, and, besides, Gordon was not one -to exert himself unnecessarily.</p> - -<p>He helped himself to another of Nick’s cigars, and -threw himself into a chair.</p> - -<p>“You have had more time to think about it than I -have, Jack. Let’s hear how you would go about -it.”</p> - -<p>Cray found this very flattering.</p> - -<p>“Well,” he said, with assumed modesty, “I had -thought of one or two little things. Of course, there<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> -are two ends to be picked up, two places to cover. -One’s Hattontown—tracing the electric machine, and -all that.”</p> - -<p>Green Eye made a gesture of indifference, as if he -did not think much of that suggestion.</p> - -<p>“The other’s this end,” Cray went on, somewhat -less confidently, meaning the fellow’s home.</p> - -<p>Gordon gave a slight nod. “That’s more likely to -yield something, I should say,” he declared. “Of -course, an electric car is comparatively uncommon, and -might be traced without a great deal of trouble. Several -days have passed, however, and that will make -considerable difference. Suppose we consider the -situation at New Pelham. Much depends on that. -Of course, if Simpson is tired of his wife, and has -decided to abandon her, we may not be able to get -a single clew there.”</p> - -<p>He gave another glance at the photograph which -Griswold had left on the desk.</p> - -<p>“The fellow’s face is against that supposition, however,” -he went on; “I don’t believe he has spunk -enough to cut himself off absolutely from his wife.”</p> - -<p>“Had spunk enough to swipe a fortune,” Cray -pointed out skeptically.</p> - -<p>“I know, but there’s a difference. I don’t know -where he got the nerve to do what he did, but I’d -like to wager a tidy little sum that a man with that -weak chin and mouth would be too much a slave to -habit to cut his domestic bonds with one slash. He’s -probably foolishly fond of that wife of his, no matter<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> -how much of a fright she may be, and, if I’m -right——”</p> - -<p>“He’ll write her sooner or later, or try to sneak -an interview,” Cray burst out excitedly, with the air -of one who had just arrived unaided at the most -astounding conclusion.</p> - -<p>“Precisely,” agreed the masquerader. “That being -so, I think you had better cover the New Pelham end -of it. Go and see the man’s wife, tell her you are from -the office, and find out all she knows. She may give -you a clew right away, without knowing it—something -that may mean nothing to her, but much to you.”</p> - -<p>“Get you,” Cray said eagerly.</p> - -<p>His distinguished friend, as he believed, had just -said that the New Pelham end of it was the most important, -so that here was another feather in his—Cray’s—cap.</p> - -<p>“I’ll work it for all I’m worth,” he added. “What -line are you going to take, though?”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XII. -<br /> -<small>GREEN EYE DOES SOME THINKING.</small></h2> - - -<p>That question of Cray’s ought to have proved very -embarrassing to the impostor under the circumstances.</p> - -<p>As a matter of fact, Green-eye Gordon did not intend -to do anything, if he could help it. It appealed to -his lazy temperament, and his sense of humor, as well, -to let Cray do as much of the actual work as possible, -and then to step in at the end and claim the reward -in his own peculiar way.</p> - -<p>Of course, it remained to be seen whether or not -he could carry out that program without arousing -the ex-police detective’s suspicion, and its success was -also conditioned on Cray’s ability to handle the practical -end of it in a way that promised to bring the -desired results. Naturally, if Cray fell down, he -would be obliged to take a hand in the game, and the -eighty thousand dollars would amply reward him for -his exertions.</p> - -<p>“Time enough to cross that bridge when I come to -it, however,” he assured himself. “Meanwhile, I’ll do -a little stalling, and see what comes of it. It’s safe -to say that it won’t prove so difficult as it looks. Cray -is more or less of a fool, and he thinks the sun rises -and sets in his good and great friend, Carter; hence, -Carter can do no wrong in his eyes—and I’m Carter.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span></p> - -<p>He assumed an engaging expression.</p> - -<p>“I’m afraid you’ll have to go it alone, Jack,” he -confessed frankly, accompanying the words with a -disarming smile. “For a day or two, that is. Of -course, we’ll go over the thing together step by step, -and I’ll give you my advice whenever you wish it. -There’s this other case, however, which will keep me -in New York for the present, although it won’t take -up all of my time. You see how it is—it simply means -that I won’t be able to do much running around in -the Simpson case just now. As soon as I get this other -thing out of the way, though——”</p> - -<p>“But hadn’t I better go to Hattontown, if that’s -the state of affairs?” suggested Cray. “You can’t -leave New York just now, you say, but you might be -able to run out to New Pelham before long. For that -matter, it’s quite likely that you could handle Mrs. -Simpson better than I could. You have a great way -of getting around the women.”</p> - -<p>Gordon looked around with mock alarm.</p> - -<p>“I’m glad there’s no one to overhear that, Jack,” he -said, with a grin. “I might get the reputation as a -lady-killer.”</p> - -<p>“Nonsense, Carter!” scoffed Cray. “Everybody -knows you never even look at a woman that way. -Seriously, though, hadn’t I better beat it for Hattontown?”</p> - -<p>That would have appealed to Green Eye if he -had had any desire to get rid of his unsuspecting -ally. That was not his purpose, however. He -had a strong feeling that New Pelham was more promising<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> -ground than Hattontown, and, since he was determined -that Cray should bear the brunt of the investigation, -it was to New Pelham that he meant to -send him.</p> - -<p>“No, I think my way is better,” he insisted quietly. -“You will see that later on, Jack, I’m sure. As for -Hattontown, a few hours more or less will make no -difference. You can start for New England to-night, -if necessary.”</p> - -<p>Jack Cray scratched his closely cropped head in a -manner that was characteristic of him when in -thought.</p> - -<p>“All right,” he agreed presently. “Guess I can handle -it all. You are usually right in the thick of it, -though.”</p> - -<p>“I’ll be in the thick of it before we are through, -Jack,” Gordon assured him, with a hidden gleam in his -eyes.</p> - -<p>And, with that, Cray heavily descended the stairs, -and left the house.</p> - -<p>Now that he was alone, Green Eye leaned back in -the chair, allowed his face to relax into its own lines, -and indulged in a prolonged fit of silent laughter.</p> - -<p>“Ernest, my boy, this is the greatest piece of luck -you ever had, or ever dreamed of,” he murmured -aloud. “What a yarn this will make when you retire -and write your reminiscences!”</p> - -<p>Soon he sobered down, however, and began to consider -the case point by point.</p> - -<p>“I’m willing to stake almost anything on that hunch -of mine,” he decided. “I feel sure the clew we are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> -after will turn up at the fellow’s place out in the -suburbs sooner or later, and, naturally, I’m not interested -in the amount of work Cray is obliged to put into -the business, or the wasted efforts it involves.”</p> - -<p>At the same time, though, he meant to reason the -thing out, so far as he could.</p> - -<p>“This fellow Simpson,” he mused, “has been treasurer -of other funds, and has been connected with the -auditors’ department for years. That’s probably what -influenced him to obtain the money in the bulky or -more awkward form of gold. He knew that paper -currency of high denomination could be traced by the -numbers, if obtained from a bank or any institution -which keeps track of such things. On the other hand, -he seems to have overlooked the fact that there isn’t -a great deal of gold in common use, and that a man -who keeps on tendering gold in payment—after the -theft of a large quantity of the stuff—is very likely -to fall under suspicion. That may give us a clew.</p> - -<p>“Obviously, the electric machine may furnish another, -if it can be traced. It isn’t probable that it belongs -to Simpson, or, if it does, that it has been in -his possession very long. His salary hardly puts him -in the automobile class, and there’s nothing to show -that he has been dishonest in the business. Besides, -an electric costs considerably more than many makes -of excellent cars.”</p> - -<p>The more he thought about Simpson’s use of such a -machine, the more it struck him as significant.</p> - -<p>“Why an electric, anyway?” he asked himself. “All -that I know anything about are ladylike little coupés<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span>—about -the last thing any man in his senses would be -expected to choose for a quick get-away, especially -when weighted down with eighty thousand dollars in -gold. Why did he choose such a vehicle? What -possible advantage could he see in it?”</p> - -<p>Green Eye turned this over for some time in his -mind, stopping now and then to grin, as he realized -how seriously he was entering into the problem.</p> - -<p>“I flatter myself I’m giving a pretty good imitation -of Nick Carter,” he thought, with a complacent grin. -“Griswold threw bouquets at me, and now I’m keeping -up the pace when I don’t have to.</p> - -<p>“What’s the answer, though?” he went on mentally. -“Hanged if I can see more than one possibility. It -strikes me that the great advantage of an electric in -the hands of a crook would be its silence. That must -be it—silence. But why should silence be of any particular -importance to Simpson? He didn’t have to -use any gumshoe methods at the bank; therefore, it -looks as if he must have anticipated the need of stealth -at the other end when delivering the loot at its destination.</p> - -<p>“That’s the problem—that destination.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XIII. -<br /> -<small>THE POLICE DOG ACTS STRANGELY.</small></h2> - - -<p>“The fellow has lived in and around New York -for fifteen years, at least, for he has been in the employ -of the paper that long,” Gordon thought, continuing -his analysis. “Probably he hasn’t had more than two -weeks’ vacation a year. If so, he hasn’t had much -chance to make friends elsewhere, or familiarize himself -with the criminal possibilities of any particular -locality. Hold up, though, my boy! The fellow may -have been born in the East, and may have spent every -vacation there. Better settle that before you go much -farther.”</p> - -<p>Impelled by this, he promptly called up Griswold’s -office, and, after a little delay, Nick Carter’s magic -name brought him directly into touch with the newspaper -proprietor.</p> - -<p>“It occurred to me to ask you another question or -two about our friend S., Mr. Griswold,” Green Eye -said apologetically. “What is he, a New Englander? -Do you happen to know?”</p> - -<p>“No, no! He comes from the Middle West—somewhere -in Ohio.”</p> - -<p>“But perhaps he has been in the habit of spending -his vacations in Massachusetts?”</p> - -<p>“I’ve already looked that up, Mr. Carter. The question<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> -occurred to me when I first learned of his disappearance. -Those who know him best, though, in the -office, tell me that he has either spent his little vacations -at home, in New Pelham, or back in Ohio.”</p> - -<p>“Then, so far as you know, New England is strange -country to him?”</p> - -<p>“It would seem so.”</p> - -<p>“Now, about that electric—you haven’t known of -his owning one in the past, have you?”</p> - -<p>“Certainly not—he was paid only eighteen hundred -a year.”</p> - -<p>“I see. That’s all at present, thanks. Sorry to have -troubled you.”</p> - -<p>The clever scoundrel felt he was making headway.</p> - -<p>“Now we can go ahead with a little more assurance,” -he soliloquized, after he had hung up the receiver. -“If New England is unknown to the fellow, or -known only in a superficial way, it doesn’t seem reasonable -to suppose that he would think of hiding the -yellow boys there. Besides, he must have them -where he can obtain access to them at frequent intervals—for -he would be almost certain to be arrested if -he presented a quantity of gold at any bank, either for -deposit or to be exchanged for paper. That’s his -hoard, therefore, from which he must draw.”</p> - -<p>He grinned to himself.</p> - -<p>“Tastes differ, of course,” he went on mentally, “but -New England isn’t the place I’d choose if I had eighty -thousand to spend. I would want a little more action -than I could get there.</p> - -<p>“Then what? Well, something tells me that the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> -chap has headed back in this direction. New York -would attract that money as surely as a magnet attracts -iron filings. What’s more, Simpson is on his -own ground here. And the electric car? It’s a tempting -theory, confoundedly tempting! Why would a -stay-at-home shrimp like Simpson think of hiding his -treasure if not somewhere on his own bit of land? -That’s it, I’ll wager! Not a bad idea, either, for, ordinarily, -no one would think of looking there for him or -his loot. The police, for instance, would spend a few -years going over the rest of the world with a fine-tooth -comb before it would ever occur to them to look -for the fugitive at home.</p> - -<p>“But apparently the wife is straight, and doesn’t -know of her husband’s fall from grace. He can’t show -himself to her, but he might safely pay visits to the -place at night, thanks to the silence of his little electric. -By George! What if I’m right? What a cinch for -your Uncle Ernest! I’m almost tempted to go there at -once, and see if I can locate the good old stuff. But, -no, that won’t do. I’ll keep on playing a thinking game -as long as I can, and leave the legwork to the worthy -Jack Cray.”</p> - -<p>He threw a glance in the direction of Nick Carter’s -safe.</p> - -<p>“Besides,” he continued inwardly, “eighty thousand -isn’t so much, after all. If I find what I hope to in -that safe, and play my cards right, I ought to make -several times eighty thousand, and I mustn’t let the -grass grow under my feet, for Carter may come home -in a very few days.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span></p> - -<p>He got up, and was about to approach the safe, when -there came a knock at the door, and, in response to his -somewhat surly invitation, Mrs. Peters, the housekeeper, -appeared on the threshold. She was dressed -for the street, and had a strap wrapped about the -knuckles of one hand.</p> - -<p>“I’m going to take my usual constitutional, sir,” she -announced, “and I thought, if you had no objection, -that I would take Prince with me. He’s been shut up -in the kennel most of the time since you went away, -and what he really needs is a good run.”</p> - -<p>Just then the detective’s famous police dog pushed -past the housekeeper’s skirts, and pattered into the -study at the end of the leash which Mrs. Peters held.</p> - -<p>The animal started eagerly for his master, as if surprised -to find him there. Suddenly, however, he halted, -the hair along his back raised in a bristling line, and -an unmistakable snarl escaped him.</p> - -<p>“Good boy! Good old Prince!” Gordon said, in a -wheedling tone, but he had turned pale, and his eyes -were very ugly. “Take him by all means, Mrs. Peters. -His confinement doesn’t seem to have improved his -temper—and I’m busy.”</p> - -<p>But the housekeeper was staring from Prince to the -man she believed to be her employer.</p> - -<p>“Well, I never expected to see anything like that!” -she ejaculated wonderingly. “Don’t you know your -own master, Prince? What’s the matter with you, -anyway? You are not going mad, are you?”</p> - -<p>Green Eye’s hand had mechanically sought the -pocket in which the automatic lay.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Oh, it’s nothing like that,” he said, with assumed -lightness. “The heat has put him a bit out of temper, -that’s all. Take him away, and let him work off his -grouch.”</p> - -<p>Still looking very much bewildered, Mrs. Peters -turned to go, but she had to drag the dog from the -room by main force, and the more she pulled at the -leash, the more he snarled.</p> - -<p>When the door finally closed upon them, Gordon -passed a trembling hand across his forehead, and his -fingers came away damp with sweat.</p> - -<p>“Curse the brute!” he muttered savagely. “If he -does that again, I’ll have to put him out of the way.”</p> - -<p>He had intended to tackle the safe, but now he -changed his mind once more. He was too much -shaken by this last experience to attempt anything of -that sort at present, and, therefore, he determined to -take a walk and steady his nerves. In less than an hour -he was back in Nick’s study, though, and the door -was locked.</p> - -<p>He was about to try his luck with the detective’s -safe.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XIV. -<br /> -<small>CRAY CALLS ON MRS. SIMPSON.</small></h2> - - -<p>It was quite early in the afternoon when Jack Cray -reached New Pelham, and during his journey to that -outlying suburb he had plenty of time in which to -think out a plan of action, using as a basis Gordon’s -suggestion that he should present himself as a fellow -employee of the missing Simpson.</p> - -<p>Cray walked briskly through the little town, having -inquired the direction in which Floral Avenue lay, -and soon came to a steep hill.</p> - -<p>On the top of the hill the detective stopped to mop -his brow, and as he did so, his keen eyes took in every -detail of the scene that lay before him. There was -not much of it—just a dozen or so houses strewn -about at haphazard in the midst of a maze of newly -built roads.</p> - -<p>The latter ran here and there, not at right angles, -but obliquely, in sweeping curves, circles, and what -not. The houses were all different and distinctive -in type, with not a single old-fashioned veranda to be -seen. In short, the settlement on the hill aimed to be -a modern and “artistic” suburban development, which, -like most of its kind, was still in the early stages of -growth.</p> - -<p>Floral Avenue proved to be at the very end of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> -development, and everything about it seemed newest -and most unfinished. At the corner of it stood a small -house of two stories and a half, with dull-red shingled -roof and trimmings.</p> - -<p>Beside the door, in big, brass figures, was the number -31.</p> - -<p>That it was the only house on the street seemed to -have made no difference to the builder, who doubtless -saw all the rest of the houses from one to thirty and on -indefinitely in his mind’s eye.</p> - -<p>No. 31 was very new, indeed. The lawn still plainly -showed the seams where the strips of turf met, and -the gravel walks evidently had not been rolled sufficiently, -for they were scarred with footprints.</p> - -<p>Plainly, Jack Cray had not looked for just this sort -of thing. He paused at the gate and gave his red forehead -a thoughtful mopping.</p> - -<p>“Looks as if Griswold didn’t know the whole story, -or forgot this part of it,” he speculated. “I got the -impression that friend Simpson had been living in -New Pelham for a long time, but he certainly hasn’t -been living long in No. 31 Floral Avenue. Besides, -this looks like a buying proposition, not a renting -one.”</p> - -<p>He ran his tongue along his lips, and a knowing -look came into his eyes.</p> - -<p>“I’ll bet he squeezed that fund for a few thousands -before he raked in the whole bunch!” he muttered. “A -little slick bookkeeping would have done the trick while -they were disbursing funds for the immediate needs of -the Hattontown sufferers. Some of it went into this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> -house, if I’m not mighty badly mistaken, and I have a -hunch that some more of it went to buy that electric -machine he sported in Hattontown.”</p> - -<p>Without further hesitation, Cray opened the gate -and started up the front walk to an oddly shaped -little stoop, which gave access to the front door. A -neatly dressed servant answered his summons.</p> - -<p>“Mrs. Simpson in?” Cray inquired.</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir,” the girl answered, looking doubtfully at -him, “but I don’t believe she will feel like seeing -any one. She hasn’t been very well.”</p> - -<p>“I hope she will see me,” Cray declared. “Please -say that I’m Mr. Jones, from the <em>Chronicle and Observer</em> -office, and would like very much to see her for -a few minutes.”</p> - -<p>The girl was obviously impressed by this information, -and, without further argument, conducted him -into one of the rooms off the reception hall, and then -hurried away to communicate with her mistress.</p> - -<p>With the natural instinct of the detective, Cray -looked keenly about him, and there was something that -impressed him at once.</p> - -<p>The house he was in was by no means a large one, -but the furniture seemed to have come from a much -smaller house. The diminutive hatrack was positively -lost in the square hall, the rugs were little more than -patches on the inlaid floor, and the stair carpet—which -he could see through the door—was shabby, and -too narrow for the stairs.</p> - -<p>In short, though John Simpson had recently taken a -larger house, he had either been unable to furnish<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> -it adequately, or else had been too hurried or careless -to do so.</p> - -<p>“Mrs. Simpson will see you, sir,” the maid announced, -when she returned. “She will be down in -a few minutes.”</p> - -<p>Presently, the fugitive’s wife descended the stairs. -She was a small, slight woman, plainly dressed, and -apparently about forty years of age, though her lined -face and gray hair caused her to look much older than -many women do nowadays at that age.</p> - -<p>“You have news of my husband, Mr. Jones?” she -asked eagerly, holding her hands out in unconscious -pleading, so that Cray could see that they had been -roughened by hard work.</p> - -<p>It seemed curious that the mistress of such a house -should find it necessary to do menial labor.</p> - -<p>“Not yet, Mrs. Simpson, I’m sorry to say,” Cray -answered reluctantly.</p> - -<p>The woman sank into a chair and buried her face -in her hands. There was no longer the slightest room -for doubt as to her innocence. Plainly, she knew -nothing whatever about the theft, although it might -be that some of her worry was due to fear that something -of the sort might account for her husband’s unprecedented -absence.</p> - -<p>“It’s hard lines, Mrs. Simpson,” the detective said -sympathetically. “Your husband will turn up pretty -soon, though, I’m sure.”</p> - -<p>The wife raised her head and hastily wiped her eyes.</p> - -<p>“You—you don’t think that he’s dead, then?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Oh, no, nothing like that!” Cray hastened to assure -her.</p> - -<p>“Oh, I do hope you are right, sir!” Mrs. Simpson -said fervently. “If he isn’t dead, though, or terribly -injured and unable to communicate with me, what can -it possibly mean? Have they reported it to the police -yet?”</p> - -<p>“You mean the office?”</p> - -<p>“Yes.”</p> - -<p>Cray shook his head.</p> - -<p>“That hasn’t seemed necessary—at least, that’s what -the office seems to think,” he answered. “Mr. Simpson -isn’t in a hospital, though, you may be sure.”</p> - -<p>“Then where is he? If they don’t do something at -the office, I shall be obliged to go to the police myself. -I can’t understand why it wasn’t done long ago. John -has been gone days and days now, and he’s never -before stayed away from home unexpectedly for more -than a few hours without letting me know just where -he was. I don’t understand it; I don’t, I don’t!”</p> - -<p>“I know it’s tough, Mrs. Simpson,” Cray admitted -awkwardly. “I wish I had some good news for you, -but I came, instead, to see if you could not tell me -something that might throw some light on it. We are -naturally very much interested at the office, and they -thought I might be able to find out what had happened. -Will you help me?”</p> - -<p>“Of course, I’ll do anything I possibly can,” the -distracted woman assured him. “It’s very kind in -them, and of you, to take all this trouble. What is it -you want to know, though?”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XV. -<br /> -<small>SOME INTERESTING INFORMATION.</small></h2> - - -<p>Mrs. Simpson asked the question bravely enough, -but there was a certain haunted expression in her -eyes which suggested that some inkling of the situation -might have come to her. If so, however, her love and -loyalty had caused her to brush it aside.</p> - -<p>Jack Cray did not feel quite comfortable. It seemed -like tempting the woman to betray her own husband—was -nothing less, in fact. That was unavoidable, -however.</p> - -<p>“Well, I hardly know what to ask,” he confessed, -desiring to keep her, if possible, from attaching any -great importance to his line of inquiry. “Something -unusual is keeping Mr. Simpson away, that’s sure, and -I’ve got to try to find out what it is. I’m afraid I’m -not much of a detective”—he was mentally comparing -himself with Nick Carter—“and, therefore, the only -thing I can think of doing just now is to ask a lot of -questions, and hope to hit upon something of interest -before I get through.”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Simpson did not look as if this appealed to -her in all respects, despite her great desire to have -the mystery cleared up.</p> - -<p>“Of course, I’m not going to peddle what you tell -me all over the office,” Cray hastened to say, noting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> -her look of doubt. “Besides, you don’t have to answer -if you don’t want to. I’ll try not to seem impertinent, -though, or to tire you out, and remember it’s -only because we want to find your husband.”</p> - -<p>The woman nodded. “I understand,” she said. -“Ask me anything you please, and I’ll try to answer -it.”</p> - -<p>“That’s the way to talk,” Cray commented, and then -went on, after a slight pause: “They generally began -a long ways back when they’re trying to dope out a -thing like this. Suppose we try that method?”</p> - -<p>He was playing the part of the novice very well, and -it was clear that Mrs. Simpson had no suspicion of his -real status. On the contrary, she soon showed signs -of impatience, as if she looked upon his questions as -boring and pointless. She continued to answer them -politely and truthfully, however, and that was all Cray -asked.</p> - -<p>“You have lived here, in New Pelham, for some -years, haven’t you, Mrs. Simpson?” the detective inquired.</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir; ten years.”</p> - -<p>“But not in this same house?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, no, Mr. Jones. This has only been built a few -months, and we were hardly settled, when my husband -disappeared. We lived right in the village -until recently.”</p> - -<p>“Mr. Simpson is buying this on installment, I suppose?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir. We have always rented until now, but he -has long wanted to have a place of his own, and just<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> -lately he decided that he could afford it. It didn’t -seem possible to me at first, but my husband’s salary -had just been raised, and they had given him quite a -lump sum, I believe, for the extra work entailed in -handling this relief fund.”</p> - -<p>The woman’s eyes were on Cray now, and there was -a troubled, searching expression in them.</p> - -<p>He nodded—there did not seem to be anything else -to do. “Naturally, that would have made a difference,” -he agreed, and was glad to see that Mrs. Simpson -looked relieved. Apparently she had feared that -he might deny the raise and the bonus.</p> - -<p>“What a pity this should have happened just after -you had moved into your new house!” he went on. -“I hope Mr. Simpson hasn’t shouldered more than he -can carry. That might explain it, you know. Possibly -he has gone away in a fit of discouragement, after -finding that the place would cost him more than he -could afford. Real-estate people sometimes hold back -essential facts, you know, in order to get a man’s -signature to a contract.”</p> - -<p>But he saw that that was a hardly less disturbing -possibility in the woman’s eyes, and hastened to turn -her thoughts into another channel.</p> - -<p>“Or it may be loss of memory, or something of that -sort,” he added. “Your husband may be wandering -about without knowing his own name.”</p> - -<p>Naturally, that suggestion met with no better reception, -and Cray was obliged to give it up.</p> - -<p>“There isn’t much use in speculating about it,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> -though, until we get hold of more facts,” he declared. -“I suppose you picked out this house?”</p> - -<p>“No, I didn’t,” Mrs. Simpson said with some feeling. -“I had nothing to say about it.”</p> - -<p>“Is that so? I wouldn’t have thought Mr. Simpson -would have gone ahead in any such way as that.”</p> - -<p>“He never did before, Mr. Jones, but his heart -seemed to be set on this place, and I let him have his -way. The openness seemed to appeal to him very -strongly. I’ve been living in a row for years, you -know.”</p> - -<p>“Ah, the openness!” murmured Cray. “I can see -how that might have attracted him. Have you noticed -anything unusual about your husband lately, Mrs. -Simpson? Has he seemed his normal self all the -time?”</p> - -<p>His hostess seemed at a loss to know how to answer -the question, to judge by her hesitation and knitted -brows.</p> - -<p>“If you think there may be anything the matter with -his mind, Mr. Jones, I’m sure you’re wrong,” she said, -at length. “I haven’t noticed anything of that sort at -all, and I would have been sure to do so. I can’t say -that he has been himself, though. Buying this house -on his own responsibility, and in such a hurry would -be enough to show that he wasn’t. Besides that, -though, he has been nervous and irritable, but I laid -that to the extra work he was doing. I’m afraid -I shall have to call him freakish, but nothing more. -He seems to have suddenly developed whims, and acquired<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> -rather expensive tastes. I’m afraid his advancement -at the office has turned his head somewhat.”</p> - -<p>“You are still referring to the house?”</p> - -<p>The woman hesitated again, but seemed to decide -that frankness would be best.</p> - -<p>“No,” she answered, “that isn’t all. He has got -the automobile fever, as well.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XVI. -<br /> -<small>THE TIRE PRINTS.</small></h2> - - -<p>Jack Cray barely avoided a sudden start at that last -remark of Mrs. Simpson’s. He had been hoping for -some light on the electric car, but had thought it improbable -that he would find any clew at the fugitive’s -home.</p> - -<p>“So he’s a fool at times, is he?” he thought. “Good -enough! That ought to make things easier.”</p> - -<p>“So the bug caught him, too, did it?” he asked -aloud, with a careless smile. “Did he buy a machine?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, no, sir! He rented one in the village, but -his idea was to buy one as soon as he could afford it. -In fact, he has had a gate made in the back fence, and -one of those little, portable garages put up.”</p> - -<p>“He meant to enjoy himself, didn’t he?” Cray -asked lightly, though the role he was obliged to play -was becoming more and more irksome. “There’s a -driveway at the side of the house, though, isn’t there? -I thought I noticed one as I came in.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, there is,” Mrs. Simpson agreed. “That was -another queer thing. I didn’t see how in the world -John was going to afford a car—even a secondhand -one, as he talked of buying—but if he was going to -have one, I didn’t see why it should not be driven in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> -from the front, since that was what the drive was -made for. He wouldn’t hear of it, though.”</p> - -<p>“Why not?”</p> - -<p>“He said he was going to drive his own car, and he -didn’t want everybody to be watching him and criticizing -the way he was doing it. He thought he would -prefer to come in the back way, where there wouldn’t -be so many spectators. That was ridiculous, though, -because you can see for yourself that there are not -many people living here on the hill. Besides, he would -soon have learned to drive well enough not to mind -if he were watched.”</p> - -<p>Cray nodded, but his heart was pounding. This -was certainly a queer whim on Simpson’s part, and -the detective was sure there must be some reason for -it. In fact, he was inclined to believe that there was -a reason for the choice of the house itself, and that -both had to do with the fugitive’s crime. The thought -was an exciting one, but Cray was at a loss to explain -Simpson’s actions.</p> - -<p>It might be well to see how the land lay, and the -best way to do that, he believed, was with Mrs. Simpson’s -knowledge, rather than furtively.</p> - -<p>“I don’t want to alarm you too much,” he said, “but -these things look rather queer, you know. You seem -sure that there wasn’t anything the matter with Mr. -Simpson’s mind, and yet you admit that he has done -some peculiar things. You’d rather think that his -mind was temporarily clouded, wouldn’t you, than that -he was dead, or had deliberately left you in the lurch?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Of course,” Mrs. Simpson agreed. “It would be -terrible, though—terrible!”</p> - -<p>“So are the other possibilities,” Cray pointed out. -“Let’s work along this line—for a while. Would you -mind letting me see this gate and garage you speak -of?”</p> - -<p>“No, certainly not,” the woman said, but it was plain -that she thought the proceeding a senseless one. “I’ll -show you.”</p> - -<p>The lot was perhaps sixty feet wide, and one hundred -and fifty feet deep, possibly more. The grass -had not yet obtained a fair start, and the shrubs and -trees were very small, although they had evidently been -planted the season before.</p> - -<p>The gravel drive ran along one side of the lot, from -front to rear, and beside it, close to the rear fence, was -the little, portable garage of which Mrs. Simpson -had spoken. It was built of metal, as a precaution -against fire, and when the detective tried the door, he -found it locked.</p> - -<p>“Your husband has the key, I suppose?” he said.</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir.”</p> - -<p>Cray had noted the graveled surface of the drive on -his way from the house, and had seen that it had not -been used. There were footprints on the soft surface, -but no evidence of tires.</p> - -<p>“The garage has never been used, I suppose?” Cray -inquired.</p> - -<p>“Oh, no, Mr. Jones.”</p> - -<p>“And no car has been driven into the yard?”</p> - -<p>“No, sir.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span></p> - -<p>There was no doubt that she was telling the truth, -so far as she was aware, but Cray had evidence that -she was mistaken. To be sure, no car had been driven -in from the front, but it was plain that one had entered -the yard through the new back gate.</p> - -<p>Evidently the machine had not entered the garage, -but had halted in front of it, and had then been backed -out again. The marks were not very recent, however, -and at least one rain had fallen since they were -made.</p> - -<p>Cray walked on to the rear gate and peered over. -There was a newly graded road beyond, and in its -surface were the marks of other tires—or, rather, the -marks of the same tires repeated several times, a number -of sets of them being more recent than those -in the yard. And all were made by tires of the sort -in common use on electric machines.</p> - -<p>“Been here often,” Cray concluded. “Hasn’t been -in the yard but once, but has come as far as the gate on -a number of occasions. Seems to have been undecided -about something, or had cold feet. What’s -more, unless I’m ’way off the track, that machine has -been here not later than night before last, and those -freshest marks look suspiciously as if they were made -last night.”</p> - -<p>He actually forgot Mrs. Simpson for the time being, -and, opening the gate, passed through. He had seen -something which interested him, the print of a rather -small shoe in the soft ground just beyond the gate, -where one would naturally have stood to open the -gate from the outside.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span></p> - -<p>The detective took a steel tape line from his pocket, -and carefully measured the footprint. Incidentally, he -gave the tire marks a close examination.</p> - -<p>Soon he straightened up and looked about him. In -doing so, he was more struck than ever with the isolation -of the Simpson house. The spot where they stood -was not overlooked by any other residence. There -was another house within two or three hundred yards, -to be sure, but it presented a blank wall on that side, -evidently being designed to stand close to another one, -which was yet to be built.</p> - -<p>“Supposing the fellow had any motive to do it, he -could come here in a noiseless electric at the dead of -night, with lights turned off, and nobody would be -the wiser,” Cray told himself. “And he could reach -the hill here without passing through the center of -the village itself.”</p> - -<p>At that point, however, he glanced up at the rear -of the Simpson house.</p> - -<p>“How about his wife, though?” he went on to himself. -“She evidently isn’t wise to any such thing, -and yet there are plenty of windows here, at the rear—and -not very far from the garage, either.”</p> - -<p>That brought him back, and he rather awkwardly -entered the yard, fearing that he might have betrayed -curiosity of an altogether too professional character.</p> - -<p>“A fellow can’t help trying to act like a detective, -I guess, when he’s put on such a job like this,” he said, -with a sheepish grin. “I see right now that I’m not -in the same class with Nick Carter. Suppose I’ll -have to try to keep up the bluff just the same, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> -ask some more fool questions—if you are not ready to -throw me out.”</p> - -<p>“Of course not, Mr. Jones,” the poor little woman -assured him. “I only wish——”</p> - -<p>The detective nodded. “I wish, too, that I could -find him for you, Mrs. Simpson,” he said sincerely, -and added, under his breath, “and for you alone.”</p> - -<p>“May be I will—who knows?” he went on, gazing -thoughtfully about. “By the way, where do you sleep, -if I may ask? At the back of the house?”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XVII. -<br /> -<small>CRAY WIRES FOR “CARTER.”</small></h2> - - -<p>It is not to be wondered at that Mrs. Simpson looked -surprised at a question which appeared so irrelevant.</p> - -<p>“Yes, I do,” she answered, “but I don’t see what in -the world that has to do with Mr. Simpson’s absence.”</p> - -<p>“Nothing, of course,” was the prompt response. -“I’m trying to get at something else, Mrs. Simpson—I’m -afraid I can’t tell you just what at present. Are -you a light sleeper?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, very.”</p> - -<p>“I suppose your room is on the second floor, there, -where those double windows are?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir.”</p> - -<p>“And the windows are open these nights?”</p> - -<p>“Of course—all of them. It has been very warm, -you know.”</p> - -<p>“Was that the room you originally planned to -occupy?”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Simpson looked amazed.</p> - -<p>“Why, no, it wasn’t,” she confessed. “Naturally, -the best bedroom is supposed to be at the front of the -house. It has a big bay window, and gets the air from -three sides. It’s so big, though, and seemed so lonesome -after Mr. Simpson was gone, that I changed -to this back one after the first night. But I don’t -understand what’s in your mind, Mr. Jones.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Don’t try to, Mrs. Simpson,” he advised. “I have -an idea, but I’m not free to share it yet, even with -you. That’s all I care to look at here, Mrs. Simpson; -let’s go back to the house.”</p> - -<p>They went around to the front door, and the woman -invited him in again somewhat reluctantly. He would -have liked to get hold of a pair of Simpson’s shoes, -but he did not dare ask that, feeling sure that she -would smell a rat if he did.</p> - -<p>“No, thanks,” he said. “I have imposed on you too -much already.”</p> - -<p>He paused for a moment, and went on, picking his -words carefully.</p> - -<p>“I suppose you haven’t got a very good opinion of -my abilities along this line, Mrs. Simpson?” he said -deprecatingly. “Mr. Griswold himself has thought -fit to send me here, and I have an idea or two that I -would like to test. It’s too soon to tell you what I -believe, but I think I have a clew to your husband’s -behavior. Will you help me to find out whether it’s -good for anything, or not?”</p> - -<p>“Of course, I will—I’ll do anything I can.”</p> - -<p>“Then—it sounds like a mystery thriller, but the -explanation is very simple—will you sleep in the front -room for a night or two, and see that all the windows -at the back are closed and dark?”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Simpson looked at him as if she thought he -had lost his senses, but she reluctantly agreed to do -as he asked.</p> - -<p>“Thanks ever so much,” Cray said uncomfortably.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> -“I know how it sounds, but I have a notion that it -will help.”</p> - -<p>And, after a few more words, he left the house, -being careful, however, to caution Mrs. Simpson to -say nothing to any one concerning his peculiar request, -or the trend of his inquiries.</p> - -<p>Incidentally, he had secured from her the name of -the garage at which Simpson had rented the car—an -electric.</p> - -<p>The ex-police detective’s manner, as he strode down -the hill, was a very thoughtful one, but there was -something triumphant about the swing of his shoulders -and the carriage of his massive head.</p> - -<p>In his opinion, he had done a good day’s work. -Certainly, he had made some very curious discoveries, -and if his theory were anywhere near correct, he had -hopes of solving the mystery—and, incidentally, of -capturing John Simpson, and recovering a large share -of the stolen gold—before many hours had passed.</p> - -<p>And the best of it was that he had done everything -single-handed. To be sure, his friend Carter had advised -his going to New Pelham first of all, but, beyond -that, the great detective had had nothing to do -with the affair, thus far.</p> - -<p>“Carter will be sorry he didn’t get into the game -at the start,” Cray told himself, with a satisfied grin. -“If this thing goes through, as I hope it will, I’ll cop -about all the credit there is. Too bad I called Carter -in at all. If I had known what a cinch it was going -to be, you can bet I would have handled it alone.”</p> - -<p>He and Nick were great friends, but Cray saw no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> -reason to hide his own light under a bushel for that -reason. On the other hand, he well knew that Nick -would rejoice in his success, and decline to take any -credit or pay that did not rightfully belong to him.</p> - -<p>He would have been less certain of the outcome, -however, had he suspected that he was not dealing -with Nick Carter at all, but with one of the most unscrupulous -criminals in the country.</p> - -<p>Cray found the garage easily enough, and lost no -time getting down to business.</p> - -<p>“Friend of mine, Mr. Simpson, rented a car here,” -he said. “An electric. It looks pretty good to me. Is -it still for hire?”</p> - -<p>“No, sir,” the owner of the garage answered. -“Didn’t you know I sold it to Mr. Simpson nearly a -week ago?”</p> - -<p>“The deuce you did!” ejaculated Cray. “That’s a -new one on me. Haven’t seen Simpson lately.”</p> - -<p>“Well, he liked the machine so much that he took -it, after having it out several times. I’ve got other -cars here for sale, but that was the only electric. There -isn’t very much demand for them, you know.”</p> - -<p>“It was an electric I wanted,” Cray told him, with -apparent regret. “Like them quiet.”</p> - -<p>“That’s what Mr. Simpson said,” the garage owner -vouchsafed. “They may be quiet enough, but I like -something a little faster and bigger. I’ve got a dandy -Wellington here, sir, as good as new, that I’ll sell you -for——”</p> - -<p>“Nothing doing,” Cray interrupted. “Wife has set<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> -her heart on an electric, and you know what that -means. Thanks just the same, though.”</p> - -<p>They exchanged meaning glances, and Cray left the -garage. As he walked along the main street, he whistled -softly, but very cheerfully. The garage man’s -hint as to Simpson’s reason for purchasing an electric -car had served to strengthen his suspicions. The more -he thought about it, the more certain he became that -he was right, and the more eager he was to lay his -amazing theory before Nick Carter.</p> - -<p>He desired the great detective’s approval, and his cooperation -in the last dramatic scene, which he hoped -would take place that night. But again there would -have been a fly in his honey had he known that another -had arrived at practically the same conclusion by pure -reasoning, and that that other was not Nick Carter, -but an impostor and ex-convict, who was posing in -Nick’s place.</p> - -<p>Perhaps it is just as well that Jack Cray did not -know that fact when he proceeded to the combined -railroad station and telegraph office, and wrote out -the following message:</p> - -<div class="blockquot"> -<p>“<span class="smcap">Nicholas Carter</span>—<em>Madison Avenue, New York</em>: -Come to New Pelham by 7:30 train this evening. Important. -Will meet you.”</p> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XVIII. -<br /> -<small>GORDON TACKLES NICK’S SAFE.</small></h2> - - -<p>Green-eye Gordon stood looking at the safe that was -built into the wall of Nick’s study, and, as he stared -at it, his eyes were very greedy in expression.</p> - -<p>For one thing, he felt certain that the famous detective -kept money there—very likely a large sum—for, -in Nick’s profession, it is often essential to lay one’s -hands on plenty of cash at very short notice. Expensive -journeys have to be undertaken on little warning, -often at hours when the banks are closed, for -instance, and there are many other ways in which -ready money comes in handy. It remained to be -seen, of course, whether the detective’s absence had -made any difference in this respect.</p> - -<p>This, however, was but a very small item in Gordon’s -expectations.</p> - -<p>As we have seen, he was after very much bigger -game, in the shape of the secret records of Nick’s -most important cases, records which he hoped would -be the means of netting him a very much larger sum -than that represented by the missing relief fund.</p> - -<p>The rascal’s mouth fairly watered now as he thought -of the possibilities. The possession of the papers he -desired would mean a chance of blackmail, such as the -world had never known. Until now, these papers had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> -been perfectly safe in Nick Carter’s possession, but -should they tail into Gordon’s hands, they would suddenly -acquire a destructive power far more terrible -than that of dynamite.</p> - -<p>What a prospect! Aside from the enormous advantage -which he expected to reap from it, Green -Eye could conceive of no more effective retaliation for -Nick’s part in sending him to prison.</p> - -<p>“A fool would only think of killing Carter, or at -most, of giving him a taste of physical torture,” -thought the criminal. “But I can understand his point -of view, and I know that the loss of such papers—and -the use I shall make of them—will be infinitely worse -than death itself in his eyes.”</p> - -<p>Gordon started as he heard the front door open, -and moved across the room. He felt sure that it was -Mrs. Peters returning from her afternoon constitutional, -and he wished to give her an order, but he -paused, as he remembered the police dog. It would -be better to have Prince out of the way before he sent -for the housekeeper.</p> - -<p>He waited ten minutes, therefore, before ringing the -bell, and presently Mrs. Peters arrived, somewhat out -of breath.</p> - -<p>“If any one calls, say that I’m away,” the masquerader -said sharply. “On no account am I to be -disturbed by any one—by any one, mind you. If -Joseph is about, tell him so, too.”</p> - -<p>“Very well, sir,” Mrs. Peters answered. “Is that -all?”</p> - -<p>“Yes.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span></p> - -<p>Despite Green Eye’s eagerness to get at the safe, -he remembered Prince’s alarming behavior, and narrowly -watched the housekeeper’s face. He felt sure -she could not deceive him. If she had the slightest suspicion -that all was not as it should be, her face and -manner would be sure to reveal the fact.</p> - -<p>“No, she hasn’t tumbled to me,” he assured himself, -as Mrs. Peters left the room. “It was not to be -supposed that she would, but she must have thought -the beast’s actions very peculiar. Thank Heaven, all -of Carter’s assistants are away. I’ll have to keep -the butler at a distance, too, as much as possible. I -don’t believe he’s capable of seeing through the deception, -but he’s a man, and he’s been with Carter for a -good while. His eyes may be sharper than I think.”</p> - -<p>He turned the key in the lock hurriedly, took off his -coat, and began to roll up his sleeves.</p> - -<p>“Now, where, does he keep the outfit?” he muttered, -his pale, keen eyes darting about the room.</p> - -<p>With quick steps he crossed to the cabinet and tried -that, but, obviously, he did not find there what he -sought, for he turned away from it with a snarl of -impatience.</p> - -<p>The desk was the next thing he examined, but it was -not until he had picked the lock of one of the hitherto -unopened drawers that he found what he sought—a -small black bag.</p> - -<p>When he had opened the latter, his lips curled into -an ugly grin.</p> - -<p>“What a burglar he would have made,” he muttered,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> -as he emptied the contents of the bag carefully -on the floor in front of the safe.</p> - -<p>There were bits of various sizes, ordinary drills and -wheel drills, jimmies, glass cutters, skeleton keys, acids—in -fact, everything that goes to make up the outfit -of the most up-to-date burglar.</p> - -<p>Green-eye Gordon turned them over caressingly, but -it was not for long that he was idle. He knelt before -the safe, his eyes roving over it at close range. Soon -he smiled with satisfaction.</p> - -<p>It was scarcely as modern a safe as he would have -expected Nick Carter to possess, but that was probably -because the last thing in the world the famous detective -expected was a burglary in his own house.</p> - -<p>Among other accomplishments, most of which had -brought him into conflict with the law, Ernest Gordon -numbered safe-cracking, and, as he knelt before the -massive steel door, with its shining nickel fittings, he -had no doubt that he would be able to master this one -in a comparatively short time.</p> - -<p>After a brief examination of the lock, to make sure -that he could not open the combination by ear, the -masquerader picked up the powerful wheel drill, fitted -a bit to it, and, pressing the other end against his stomach, -set to work.</p> - -<p>At first the bit seemed to make little impression upon -the specially hardened metal, but presently a little hole -appeared, and grew deeper and deeper as Gordon kept -the wheel in motion.</p> - -<p>For the time being, the criminal forgot the relief -fund that he hoped to appropriate, forgot even the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> -great, unique haul he counted on obtaining from that -very safe, and was lost in the joy of being at his old -trade again, and handling the old, familiar tools with -undiminished skill.</p> - -<p>Gh-r-rh!</p> - -<p>Gordon paused to squirt oil into the deepening hole, -as the note of the revolving bit changed and grew -harsher. It was working smoothly again after a moment, -and the particles of metal were rapidly accumulating.</p> - -<p>Thus the work went on. One hole was sunk to the -required depth, then another, and finally, after various -deft operations, the inner secrets of the lock were disclosed, -and the thick door swung back on noiseless -hinges.</p> - -<p>A little chuckle of satisfaction sounded as the door -began to move, but, by the time it was wide open, a -snarl of surprise and rage burst from the criminal’s -lips.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XIX. -<br /> -<small>AN UNTIMELY KNOCK.</small></h2> - - -<p>Despite the opening of the door, the interior of the -safe did not meet Gordon’s eye, as he naturally had anticipated. -Instead, he found himself confronted by -a second door.</p> - -<p>Worse still, this second door appeared to be even -more formidable than the first.</p> - -<p>Doubtless, it was not nearly so thick, of course, but -the trouble was that it presented an absolutely unbroken -surface. In other words, there was no knob on -it, no combination, no handle, nothing to indicate how -it opened, or where the lock was.</p> - -<p>It might open from left to right, or right to left—or -from top to bottom, or bottom to top, for that -matter. Moreover, it was only after a close and most -careful scrutiny that it was possible for Green Eye -to tell where the door ended, and the rest of the safe -began, so tiny was the crack about it.</p> - -<p>“Of all the infernal luck!” muttered the criminal. -“A trick door, evidently. Of course, I could blow it -open, if I wanted to do that, but it isn’t safe to use -explosives with a house full of servants. And how in -thunder am I to know where the cursed lock is, if there -are no outward signs of it? It may be on one side, or -on the other, high or low. Have I got to keep on drilling -holes at random until I stumble upon it?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span></p> - -<p>It was all he could do to keep from wrecking the -study in his rage. He had a temper, and he knew it -was at white heat, and threatening to boil over at any -moment.</p> - -<p>“This is the limit,” he thought. “For all I know, -there may be no regular lock at all. Instead, there may -be a mechanism somewhere else, operating a series of -bolts which can be shot into the door from all sides. I -might have known that any safe Carter would have -would not be as easy to crack as this one seemed to be. -Curse him! I wish I had him here right now! I’d -make him open this safe for me, or tear him to pieces -with my bare hands!”</p> - -<p>Much must be allowed for exaggeration in the case -of an angry man. If Nick Carter could have appeared -at that moment, it is probable that the outcome would -have been by no means the one Green Eye imagined.</p> - -<p>After storming up and down the room a few times, -Gordon quieted down a little and returned to the safe. -It had occurred to him that in the absence of anything -like a knob or handle, there must be a secret -spring or something of that sort, that was pressed in -order to set the mechanism in motion, and open the -inner door.</p> - -<p>If he could find that, all would be well.</p> - -<p>It seemed like a hopeless task, but Green Eye was -master of himself again, and prepared to exercise the -greatest care and perseverance.</p> - -<p>First, he returned Nick’s tools to the little black -bag, and restored it to the drawer, after which he carefully<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> -removed all traces of his work, except those -which permanently disfigured the outer door, and told -of the violation of its lock.</p> - -<p>Even these he cleverly hid by means of a sort of -wax, which he found in Nick’s laboratory, and which -he coated over with ink after the holes had been -plugged.</p> - -<p>He did not expect to use the tools again, if he could -help it, and he wished to clear the telltale litter away -before doing anything else, so that if he were interrupted, -in spite of his injunctions, he could open the -door without too great delay.</p> - -<p>Another trip to the detective’s desk brought to light -a powerful magnifying glass. Armed with this, the -rascal returned to the safe and began a systematic inspection -of its surfaces, inward and outward, so far as -he could gain access to them.</p> - -<p>He was looking for some place where the enamel -had been worn off by the frequent pressure by fingers, -or where finger marks had been left in such a way as -to indicate repeated pressures.</p> - -<p>He began just beyond the edge of the narrow door, -and worked his way completely around it, but without -success.</p> - -<p>“I didn’t think I’d find it there,” he told himself, -“but I had to make sure first.”</p> - -<p>He then extended his area of search, taking in the -jambs of the outer door, and so working his way out -to the exterior of the safe.</p> - -<p>He did not waste time over the inside of the outer<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> -door, for his common sense told him that there could -be no connection between that and the rest of the -safe, except through the hinges, which were not likely -to conceal any hidden wiring or mechanical connection.</p> - -<p>It was a long and tedious search. Most men would -have given up in the first few minutes, or at the end of -an hour, but not so Green-eye Gordon. There was -an ugly expression on his face, and his nerves were -on edge, but he kept on with a dogged determination, -scrutinizing the enameled surface of the safe inch by -inch, and going over it not once, but many times.</p> - -<p>The fact that the safe was set into the wall gave him -a comparatively small surface to cover, and seemed to -promise success without any great effort, but the -promise was without foundation.</p> - -<p>Nevertheless, the scoundrel’s persistence was finally -rewarded.</p> - -<p>He located the secret spring, but did so purely by -accident, not from any help which his keen eyes, or -Nick’s powerful magnifying glass gave him.</p> - -<p>The reason was that the spring was located in a -comparatively inaccessible place, behind one of the legs -of the safe.</p> - -<p>Gordon had lain down again and again, and, with -the help of a pocket flash light and the magnifying -glass, had done his best to peer under the low safe -and behind the two squat little legs at the front. He -had met with very little success, but finally, having -failed to find what he sought elsewhere, he had begun -feeling about at random.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span></p> - -<p>In this way, just behind the right leg, and in the -bottom of the safe, he had happened upon a small, -yielding surface, and his heart had bounded as he -pressed it upward.</p> - -<p>To his delight, the inner door began to open noiselessly. -Simultaneously, the impostor’s heart stopped.</p> - -<p>Some one had knocked at the door!</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XX. -<br /> -<small>THE BLACKMAILER’S SUPREME HAUL.</small></h2> - - -<p>For a moment that seemed an eternity, Ernest -Gordon crouched as if petrified, his eyes turned wildly -to the door.</p> - -<p>Had he locked it?</p> - -<p>Of course he had, but he could not be sure of it at -that moment, and, even if it were locked, what beastly -mischance had brought an interruption just then?</p> - -<p>Supposing it were Carter himself, or one of his -assistants?</p> - -<p>The rascal’s clammy hands were cold, and his knees -threatened to collapse under him.</p> - -<p>Gritting his teeth, however, and with a look of contempt -for his own weakness, he pushed the inner door -back, swung the other one around until it was only -slightly ajar, and, after a hasty glance about to make -sure that all else was in order, strode to the door.</p> - -<p>“What is it?” he called harshly.</p> - -<p>Even at the moment of utterance he was conscious -that the voice bore little resemblance to that of the man -he was impersonating.</p> - -<p>The reply, to his relief, was in the butler’s deferential -tones.</p> - -<p>“Telegram, sir,” Joseph announced. “I’m sorry to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> -disturb you, but I thought you probably would like to -have it at once.”</p> - -<p>“That’s all right,” Gordon said, taking care this time -to imitate Nick’s voice accurately.</p> - -<p>He unlocked the door and opened it a foot or so.</p> - -<p>“Thanks, Joseph,” he said, taking the telegram from -the butler’s silver salver, and closing the door again, -but not locking it.</p> - -<p>He knew that the hand he had extended was grimy, -and that a locked door was probably a very unusual -phenomenon, but he did not make the mistake of offering -any explanation. That would have been more -suspicious still.</p> - -<p>“If he noticed my hand, he’ll think I’ve been working -in the laboratory,” he assured himself. “As for -the door, that’s none of his business. A man doesn’t -have to do the same things in the same way year after -year.”</p> - -<p>He hastily tore open the yellow envelope, and found -within Jack Cray’s message from New Pelham, asking -him to come on the seven-thirty train.</p> - -<p>Gordon positively chuckled as he finished reading -the telegram.</p> - -<p>“He’s hit upon something big already, or thinks he -has, at any rate,” he decided. “Let’s hope his impression -isn’t an erroneous one, and that my dear Carter’s -friend Jack is going to lead me to a carload of gold -pieces. I’ll be there, Cray, you may be sure.”</p> - -<p>Now that Joseph had gone away, Green Eye quietly -relocked the door, and, thrusting the telegram into his -pocket, hurried back to the safe.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span></p> - -<p>He swung the ponderous outer door to the right, -and clamping his fingers over the right-hand edge of -the knobless door within, he drew it to the left.</p> - -<p>He had been careful not to push it completely shut -before going to the door, for he feared that he might -not be able to open it again.</p> - -<p>Now open to his eyes lay the interior of the safe.</p> - -<p>Eagerly he snatched open one of the drawers, and -gave a little grunt of satisfaction when he found a -couple of reasonably thick bundles of paper money. -When the bundles were withdrawn, he caught a -glimpse of several familiar-looking little packages, -round, slender, and wrapped in manila paper.</p> - -<p>“Gold, just as it came from the bank!” he muttered, -snatching up one of the packages and tearing off the -end of the wrapping.</p> - -<p>A stack of ten-dollar gold pieces was revealed.</p> - -<p>“This will do very nicely for current expenses,” -Green Eye murmured, with a smile. “Now for the -rest, though.”</p> - -<p>He carried the money over to the table, and thrust -notes and gold into the pockets of the coat he had taken -off before he set to work, after which he returned to -the safe and began his search for Nick’s precious -secrets.</p> - -<p>Packet after packet he drew out, chuckling at the -inscriptions on some of them, then grimy with his -work, and, still in his shirt sleeves, he set out to examine -the records, his chair drawn up to the table, his -fingers shaking with the excitement that possessed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> -him. Once he stopped, and mechanically lighted a -cigar, but it was soon forgotten, and went out, after -which the end of it was chewed to a pulp.</p> - -<p>The papers he unearthed were all he hoped they -would be.</p> - -<p>There, before him, were the histories of scores of -the most important cases that Nick Carter had handled. -Many of them, to be sure, were of such a nature that -they afforded no opportunities for blackmail, but -there were quite a number which, even to a casual -glance, revealed alluring possibilities in that direction.</p> - -<p>Gordon’s pale eyes glittered with greed as he read -names and dates, and all the precise array of facts -which had been accumulated by the painstaking labors -of the great detective and his staff.</p> - -<p>“It’s a gold mine, nothing else!” the master rascal -told himself, his hands trembling with eagerness. “If -I have time to work it as it ought to be worked, I -can pull down a quarter of a million—half a million!”</p> - -<p>His enthusiasm carried him away into the region of -fairy possibilities, where a rosy light played over everything. -He did not realize how important was that -little word “if” which he had passed over so lightly.</p> - -<p>This was just the sort of thing that appealed to -him most, this bleeding of those who could much better -afford to pay large sums in hush money than to have -gossip busy with their names.</p> - -<p>He made a selection of the records that appealed to -him most at first glance, then bundled the others up -carefully and thrust them back into the safe.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span></p> - -<p>“This will be all I will need,” he told himself; “for -the present, at least.”</p> - -<p>Therefore, he risked closing the inner door of the -safe, but, lest there should be any uncertainty about it, -he made sure that he could open it later. After that -he closed the outer door, but, of course, did not lock it, -for he had put the locking mechanism out of commission.</p> - -<p>Thanks to his care in covering up his traces, however, -it was not likely that any ordinary eyes would -detect the fact that the safe had been violated, and, to -further minimize the possibility, he placed a chair with -its back against the safe door.</p> - -<p>Leaving the bundle of documents in plain sight of -the desk, he rang for Joseph.</p> - -<p>“I shall want dinner by six-thirty to-night, Joseph,” -he said.</p> - -<p>“Very good, sir,” the butler replied. “Any special -orders?”</p> - -<p>“No, no—the usual thing.”</p> - -<p>After the butler had departed, Green Eye hastily -bathed and changed his clothing, after which he seated -himself at the desk, and began going through the -papers in a more careful way, stopping to consider -their possibilities now and then, or to jot down a note.</p> - -<p>Dinner was announced long before he expected it, -and, after keeping it waiting for ten minutes or more, -he rose, stretched himself, and, with a little hesitation, -thrust all of the papers into his pockets, to which he -had already transferred the stolen money.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span></p> - -<p>“For all I know, I may never return here,” he told -himself. “It isn’t likely that Cray has located -Simpson’s treasure chest, but if he has, the situation -will call for immediate action on my part—and the -worthy Cray and I will hardly be friends afterward, -if he survives. He’ll know I’m not Carter if I stick -him up for the eighty thou, and that means that I’ll -have to make myself scarce, and be quick about it.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XXI. -<br /> -<small>THE MASQUERADER JOINS CRAY.</small></h2> - - -<p>Green-eye Gordon, Nick Carter’s double for the -time being, did full justice to the excellent dinner that -he found ready for him when he reported to the -detective’s dining room.</p> - -<p>To have asked for special dishes would have been -a risky thing to do, and even if he had had an active -dislike for anything that was served to him, he had -sufficient self-control to conceal that fact.</p> - -<p>To be sure, he would have preferred other things, -and his craving for drink often nearly overmastered -him, but he succeeded in fighting it down—at any rate, -during the hours he spent under the eyes of Nick’s -servants.</p> - -<p>It was a few minutes after seven when one of the -detective’s cars drew up at the curb, and Danny -Maloney, Nick’s chauffeur, honked an announcement -of the fact.</p> - -<p>The supposed Nick Carter left the table, explored -his pockets for the last time, to make sure that his -loot—including the automatic—was all in his possession, -and then went out to the machine.</p> - -<p>He was more afraid of Danny, than any of the rest, -for the chauffeur’s eyes were very keen, and he had -had more than a taste of detective work on the various<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> -occasions when he had jumped in and helped out in a -crisis. Nevertheless, the impostor felt that he could -not afford to do too many unusual things, and he had -sent for Danny instead of calling a taxi.</p> - -<p>“I’ll be behind the fellow as soon as I get into the -machine,” he mused. “He’ll only see me for a few -minutes. Therefore, as I’ve already stood Jack Cray’s -scrutiny, and am going to invite it again, I ought not -to have any trouble with this fellow.”</p> - -<p>He did not, of course. Danny had no reason to -doubt that his chief had returned unexpectedly, and -therefore, it did not occur to him to give more than a -passing glance.</p> - -<p>Gordon was dropped at the station in plenty of time -to catch the seven-thirty for New Pelham, a small -suburban place a few miles to the north, in Westchester -County. Both the motor car and the train -afforded opportunity for very agreeable day-dreams -connected with the papers in the scoundrel’s pocket, -and by the time he stepped from the train at the village -he had persuaded himself that a big fortune was as -good as within his grasp, and that there could be no -possible hitch.</p> - -<p>It is not to be wondered at that his hopes ran high, -for certainly his daring had carried everything before -it, thus far.</p> - -<p>High tide is invariably followed by low, however, -and although the ebb might not set in for some time -in Green Eye’s case, it was sure to come sooner or -later. For wrongdoing is its own worst enemy, and -devours its own children.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span></p> - -<p>Jack Cray was waiting on the platform when Gordon -alighted at New Pelham, and it was plain from -the ex-police detective’s bearing that he had had news -of unusual importance to communicate.</p> - -<p>“You have hit upon something, I see,” Green Eye -remarked in Nick’s quiet tones.</p> - -<p>“Cleared up the whole thing, I hope,” Cray assured -him excitedly. “Let’s stroll in this direction—there -are not many houses, and we need not be afraid of -being overheard.”</p> - -<p>“Lead the way,” the masquerader agreed, adding, -when they had left the platform behind: “I’m curious -to hear what you have dug up, Cray. Before you begin, -though, I’d like to give you a few of the results -I have arrived at in my study since you left me. It -will be interesting to see how near they come to your -findings.”</p> - -<p>He was proud of the way he had analyzed the -matter, and could not resist the temptation to parade -his results.</p> - -<p>“Go ahead,” invited Cray in an expectant tone.</p> - -<p>He was thinking of Nick’s achievements in that -line, and looked for something out of the ordinary. -To be sure, his famous friend might “take the wind -out of his sails,” as had often been the case in the past, -but Jack’s admiration was sincere enough to stand even -that test.</p> - -<p>The fact that he was not disappointed in this instance -is perhaps the most remarkable tribute that -could be paid to Gordon’s intelligence.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Just a word or two, then,” Green Eye said in a -self-satisfied tone that was far from characteristic of -the man he was impersonating. “In the first place, -I’ve made up my mind that there’s no use in looking -for Simpson in New England. The trail starts there, -of course, but it ends here.”</p> - -<p>“Here!” echoed Cray in amazement. “How the -dickens did you hit upon that?”</p> - -<p>Gordon had not meant the word to be taken quite -so literally. He felt sure that the fugitive had headed -for New York, or some place in the immediate -neighborhood, and he was inclined to believe that he -was lurking in the vicinity of New Pelham, but he was -prepared to shift his ground, if necessary.</p> - -<p>Now he realized, as a result of Cray’s amazing question, -that he was on the right track. Furthermore, -that realization gave him confidence, and helped him to -fit in the rest.</p> - -<p>“Oh, I’ve just arrived at it,” he said carelessly, -determined to use his companion’s unconscious tip for -all it was worth. “He has been back in New Pelham, -and will be again, if he isn’t at this moment. More -than that, I have a suspicion that he has been lurking -about his own house.”</p> - -<p>“For the love of Mike!” Cray breathed, looking his -admiration as they strolled through the gathering dusk. -“You sure are a wizard!”</p> - -<p>“Not a bit of it. I simply use my reason, and when -I find two and two, I don’t hesitate to put them together, -knowing that the result is bound to be four.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span></p> - -<p>“But what in thunder led you to think that the fellow -would come back here—especially that he would dare -to return to his own place?” demanded Jack.</p> - -<p>“I called up Griswold and learned that he had never -lived in New England, and had spent most of his brief -vacations here at home, or out in the Middle West. -That helped to give me a start, and I sized Simpson up -as a man with some clever ideas, but probably timid -and unacquainted with the world in many respects. -I reasoned that such a man might conceive the idea -of outwitting his enemies by hiding his stealings in the -last place which would be likely to be searched—his -own—and once thought of, I felt sure he would -decide on it for other reasons. Because he was essentially -a home body, for instance. Also, because he was -not in touch with crooks, and wouldn’t wish to trust -any one with his secret.</p> - -<p>“Of course,” he admitted, “it wasn’t all reasoning—some -of it was intuition, or plain hunch. His use of -an electric machine, though, went far to convince me -that I had the right idea. Its only advantage seemed -to be its silence, and I couldn’t imagine what good -silence would do him, unless he expected to hide the -gold somewhere, without those in the immediate -neighborhood being aware of it. The bulk of the stuff, -you see, made it necessary to use a vehicle of some sort -to transport it. Well, it naturally occurred to me that -the person he would least desire to know anything -about it was his wife.”</p> - -<p>All the time thinking, or seeming to do so, he was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> -keeping one eye on Cray, and thus he was able to tell -that he was not going astray.</p> - -<p>“In short,” he concluded, “the more I thought about -it, the more certain I became that the chap had hidden -the stuff somewhere within earshot of his own house. -Of course, though, I didn’t attempt to carry the theory -any further. That would have been a waste of time. -Let’s hear, though, what you have discovered.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XXII. -<br /> -<small>PLANS FOR THE NIGHT.</small></h2> - - -<p>The two men had some hours to kill, for they -could not expect anything to happen before midnight, -at least, although they realized that it would be well -to be on the scene before that.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Simpson would in all probability retire at -ten or eleven o’clock, and as Simpson could—and -probably did—approach the hill from the other direction -without coming through the village, he might appear -sooner than they expected.</p> - -<p>Therefore, Jack Cray did not hurry himself when -the time came for him to report his findings. They -walked to the end of the street and turned, heading -back toward the center of the village, while Cray expressed -his amazement at his companion’s reasoning.</p> - -<p>That tribute having been paid, he got down to business.</p> - -<p>“It’s amazing,” he said. “Doesn’t leave me much -to boast of. I’ve got some facts, though, and even -you need facts to put under your theories.”</p> - -<p>He went on to describe his call at the Simpson residence, -and the various things which had interested -him—the new house, the misfit furniture, the facts -that Simpson himself had chosen the place, the hasty<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> -move, the fugitive’s sudden interest in motor cars, his -refusal to use the drive from the front, and so on, -until the subject of the tire tracks was reached.</p> - -<p>“Very interesting,” murmured Gordon. “The -garage is metal, you say, and was locked? You think, -then, that the stuff is hidden there—that Simpson -bought the little, portable building for that purpose, -not to use it in the ordinary way?”</p> - -<p>“That’s the way it strikes me,” Cray answered. “A -place like that doesn’t seem very safe for such a purpose, -but nobody would think it contained anything -of any particular value. Besides, it’s far enough from -the house to make an occasional visit sufficiently safe, -even in a car—providing the car is noiseless—and the -neighbors wouldn’t be any the wiser. Mrs. Simpson -wouldn’t have any interest in the garage, because she -thinks it’s empty.”</p> - -<p>“I see. Just how do you explain these different sets -of tire marks, however? Your idea is, as I understand -it, that the one set which you found in the yard -itself in front of the garage doors was made several -nights together, when Simpson brought the stuff there -and unloaded it?”</p> - -<p>“Sure.”</p> - -<p>“Then how about the others which seemed to show -that he has been there more than once since then, but -hasn’t driven the car in?”</p> - -<p>“Those other prints are the most interesting of the -whole lot to me,” Cray returned eagerly. “It was because -of them that I asked the woman where she slept,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> -and all that. Don’t you see? This is the way I -dope it out. He left the money the first time, and -maybe, in his excitement, he didn’t keep any back, or -else he’s been spending more freely than he expected. -At any rate, it looks to me as if he wants more, or -maybe the stuff is drawing him like a magnet, and he’s -coming back to gloat over it.</p> - -<p>“But right there, friend wife steps in and interferes -without knowing it. He thought he had everything -fixed with her sleeping at the front of the house -and the garage far enough away so that she could sleep -with one eye open, if she wanted to, without hearing -him. Evidently, though, the very night after he -banked the stuff in the garage, she upset all his calculations -by deciding to sleep in that back room. Got -the idea? It has three big windows right in a row, -and as the nights have been warm, she has had them -all open. He must have seen those open windows the -next time he came, and evidently he guessed what they -meant. Anyhow, he got cold feet, and didn’t dare -sneak up to the garage, for fear she would hear him -and get up. That’s why he has fiddled around and -gone off again, and that’s why I asked her to oblige -me by sleeping in the front room for a night or two.”</p> - -<p>The big man chuckled.</p> - -<p>“I suppose she thought I was crazy,” he went on, -“but I can’t help that. I wasn’t exactly in a position -to shine in her eyes, but if she does what I ask her -to, and shuts those back windows, I shall be very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> -much disappointed if we don’t catch our man red-handed -to-night.”</p> - -<p>“You think he’ll turn up again, do you, and that -if he finds the coast clear, he’ll lose no time in getting -next to the gold?”</p> - -<p>“That’s the ticket.”</p> - -<p>Gordon was silent for a minute or two.</p> - -<p>“Well, I certainly hope you are right, Jack,” he -said at length. “And you must be, I think, for it isn’t -likely that we would both arrive at the same point -by totally different routes unless there was something -in it. We’ll put it to the test, at any rate, and if he -doesn’t show up by two or three o’clock, we’ll burrow -under one side of the garage and see what we can find. -That will make it unnecessary to tamper with the -lock, and we can fix things so he’ll never know that -anybody has entered the place. Then, after removing -the stuff, if we find it, we can watch the empty garage -to-morrow night, and nab him if he puts in an appearance.”</p> - -<p>Cray agreed to this plan, and informed Gordon -that there was a pile of lumber within a few feet of -the garage.</p> - -<p>“We can hide behind that,” he said, “and wait for -him. We’ll be in plain sight from the back windows -of the house, to be sure, and Mrs. Simpson may spoil -everything if she peeks. Let’s hope, though, that she -obeys orders and goes to bed without question.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XXIII. -<br /> -<small>THE WATCHERS MAKE THEMSELVES SCARCE.</small></h2> - - -<p>When Cray and Gordon first came within sight of -No. 31 Floral Avenue there were lights in some of the -upper windows, but before they had reached a point -opposite the house, the lights went out.</p> - -<p>“Mrs. Simpson is just going to bed,” announced -Cray. “Good enough! Glad to see she isn’t a night -owl. Thought of that, but was afraid to pile on any -more injunctions.”</p> - -<p>They passed the house and continued along the road -toward the brow of the hill, then turned about and -paced slowly back. There were lights in some of the -other houses, and Green Eye could see that Cray had -been right in saying that there were no other windows -to overlook Simpson’s rear yard and garage.</p> - -<p>“Like to see the wheel tracks?” asked Cray, just -before they reached the house again. “Safe enough, -I guess, if she isn’t snooping around.”</p> - -<p>Gordon shook his head. “I’d like to have a look at -them myself,” he answered, “but we’d better wait -for a while and give the woman a chance to quiet -down. She may be peering out of those back windows -for all she’s worth at this very moment, you know. -What you said was enough to arouse any woman’s -curiosity, and she’s probably imagining all sorts of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> -things. I don’t believe she’s in touch with her husband, -and even if she were, it’s unlikely that she could -get word to him. Still, you never know what a panicky -woman is going to do. She has no man to fall -back upon now, remember, and if she saw us lurking -about, she might call up the police.”</p> - -<p>“Well, what if she did?” demanded Cray. “We -haven’t anything to be afraid of at their hands.”</p> - -<p>Having once been a police detective himself, he -often found it hard to sympathize with his companion’s -attitude, which was that of most private detectives.</p> - -<p>“That’s a foolish question, Jack,” Green Eye returned, -copying one of Nick Carter’s gentle rebukes. -“We’re not down in the city now, remember. We’ll -be up against some country officers, who might yank -us off to the lockup before we had a chance to explain. -While we were gone, what if Simpson should appear -on the scene? Where would our plans be then?”</p> - -<p>“That’s right, too,” Cray agreed ruefully. “Might -get away and not turn up again. Take it all back, Mr. -Carter. We can wait for a while—long enough for -Mrs. Simpson to get tired if she’s on the watch—and -still have time to look about a bit, with the help -of our flash lights, before midnight. Not much chance -that Simpy will show up before then.”</p> - -<p>Accordingly, they concealed themselves near by and -waited impatiently until nearly eleven-thirty, by which -time all the houses in the neighborhood were dark.</p> - -<p>“Now we’ll do a little exploring,” announced Green -Eye. They cautiously skirted Simpson’s property -until they reached a point from which they could see<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> -that the rear windows were all closed, after which -they continued to the rear of the lot.</p> - -<p>They remained outside the low fence until they -had satisfied themselves that Simpson was not in the -vicinity. Having ascertained that, they crept about -the corner of the fence, and, lurking in its shadow, -approached the wide gate which the fugitive had had -cut there.</p> - -<p>Cray switched on his flash light, and turned it -downward so that it shone upon the footprint he had -noted earlier in the day.</p> - -<p>“That’s Simpson’s, I’m pretty sure,” he declared. -“Got the data of it, anyway. The fellow stood here -to open the gate.”</p> - -<p>“Show me the tire marks first,” Gordon said.</p> - -<p>He was trying to simulate Nick’s thoroughness, but -he had a more personal reason as well. He wished to -see if the tracks would tell him the same story they -had told his companion, because if they did not—well, -the stolen gold might prove to be much more elusive -than he had hoped, and the sooner he found it out -the better.</p> - -<p>The night was dark. Along the street an occasional -arc lamp spluttered characteristically, but there at the -rear of the house it was very lonely and gloomy; nevertheless, -the two men threw frequent glances at the -Simpson back windows, and their ears were strained -all the time to catch the first sounds of approach.</p> - -<p>Gordon’s examination did not take long. Every -mark that he saw served to confirm what Cray had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> -told him, and as the light was switched off the darkness -permitted a significant grin of satisfaction.</p> - -<p>“I see nothing to upset your reasoning, Jack,” he -said judicially. “We had better go into the yard, -though, and see if there are any new tracks in front -of the garage, and then get under cover.”</p> - -<p>Cray had noted that morning that the hinges of the -gate had been very thoroughly oiled, but it seemed best -not to put them to the test, but to crawl over the fence -at one side, where their own footprints would not be -conspicuous.</p> - -<p>Thereafter, keeping as much as possible in the lee -of the little garage, they examined the corner in front -of the door.</p> - -<p>“Nothing new seems to have taken place here,” Cray -informed the supposed Nick Carter. “Here’s the one -set of tire marks, you see, and nothing more of consequence, -not even an obliterated trail. If the stuff -was inside the garage this morning, it seems safe -enough to say that it’s here still.”</p> - -<p>As he spoke, he tried the door once more, but found -it locked, as it had been that morning. They passed -on around the little structure of metal, keeping to the -side, away from the house.</p> - -<p>“There’s the lumber pile I told you about,” Cray announced. -“About time to hunt our holes, isn’t it?”</p> - -<p>His companion agreed, and they made themselves -as comfortable as they could beside the pile of boards. -Now, however, as Cray had foretold, they were exposed -to view from the back of the house, but the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> -only alternative was to take a position which might -reveal them to Simpson if he should come, as they -counted on his doing.</p> - -<p>“Let’s hope he shows up, and is considerate enough -not to keep us waiting too long,” murmured Gordon. -“I’ve seen cozier places than this.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XXIV. -<br /> -<small>REWARDED AT LAST.</small></h2> - - -<p>More than once during the wait that followed, Jack -Cray felt compelled to enjoin silence.</p> - -<p>Under ordinary circumstances, he would not have -thought of doing so where Nick Carter—as he believed—was -concerned. That night, however, the great detective -appeared to be unusually reckless, and Cray, -on the other hand, felt an unwonted sense of responsibility -and leadership.</p> - -<p>To be sure, his ally had taken the joy out of life -to some extent by arriving at practically the same point -through a process of reasoning, but Cray had done -all the work, and was quite proud of his achievements; -therefore, for once in his life, he felt somewhere near -on an equality with Nick, and allowed himself to call -Gordon down for incautious remarks now and then.</p> - -<p>“Not a word now!” he at last whispered authoritatively. -“No telling how soon he may come!”</p> - -<p>As a matter of fact, he had reason to be more cautious, -and to take Simpson’s anticipated advent more -seriously than did Gordon. Cray was doing everything -in good faith, and kept continually in mind Griswold’s -injunctions in regard to secrecy. He believed -that it would be easy enough for two of them to capture -Simpson, should that individual appear, but he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> -went further than that, and determined to accomplish -the capture as nearly in silence as possible, for he -feared that the neighborhood might be aroused by -Mrs. Simpson, if she heard anything in the nature of -a scuffle.</p> - -<p>On the contrary, Green Eye cared nothing about the -millionaire newspaper proprietor’s desires or interests, -and it made little difference to him whether the man -were arrested or not, if only he could get the best of -Cray and Simpson and make his get-away.</p> - -<p>Nevertheless, he did not resent Cray’s assumption -of command, for his brain was very busy, and quickly -turned from the contemplation of one pleasing possibility -to another.</p> - -<p>He did not believe that a man of John Simpson’s -type had succeeded in spending very much of that -eighty thousand dollars. Therefore, the absconding -treasurer’s loot promised to be well worth having as -a nest egg.</p> - -<p>Gordon meant it to be more than a nest egg, though. -Other and larger sums were soon to join it and keep -it company, according to those rosy dreams of his.</p> - -<p>Now to the front crowded memories of those coveted -papers he had examined in Nick Carter’s study -that afternoon—the papers which were now safe in -his pockets, and represented his real fortune.</p> - -<p>In particular, he recalled one set of records relating -to the doings of a young man of sporting inclinations. -The young man in question was the only son of one -of America’s richest men, and the sporting tendencies<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> -referred to had once got him into a very awkward -position.</p> - -<p>Nick Carter had extricated the foolish youngster -without injustice to any one, and without the slightest -hint of publicity. If Green-eye Gordon had his way, -however, the young man and the young man’s father -would soon learn how it feels to have youthful indiscretions -return to roost.</p> - -<p>“That alone ought to be worth a tidy fortune,” the -schemer told himself.</p> - -<p>In addition there were the Walsh papers, the Gravesend -case, all the tempting possibilities of the Lindley -matter, and, coming nearer home, there were a number -of documents dealing with men within easy reach—with -Chester J. Gillespie, for instance; ex-Senator -Phelps, Bertie Craybill, Harold Lumsden, the actor, -and others.</p> - -<p>Yes, there were endless possibilities—money to be -wrung from men who would be forced to keep their -mouths shut, and their banking accounts at his command.</p> - -<p>In the darkness, the criminal gave vent to a chuckle, -which choked as he felt Cray turn and glance at him -inquiringly.</p> - -<p>“I was just thinking of the surprise in store for our -friend,” he whispered. “Why doesn’t he come?”</p> - -<p>But John Simpson seemed in no hurry to arrive, -if he intended to do so at all. One o’clock came and -passed, and the waiting men were still in their cramped -positions beside the pile of lumber.</p> - -<p>It began to look as if Cray had been wrong in his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> -theory, or else that, discouraged by Mrs. Simpson’s -new hobby of sleeping at the rear of the house, the -missing man had decided not to visit the place that -night—for surely Simpson must have known that -everybody had been in bed for hours.</p> - -<p>Even the ex-police detective, usually so stolid, began -to fidget. Suddenly, however, his body grew -rigid, and his left hand closed upon the arm of the man -beside him.</p> - -<p>From the roadway at the rear, still some little distance -off, had come faint but unmistakable sounds.</p> - -<p>A motor vehicle of some sort, well-nigh silent in -operation, was approaching, and pebbles were being -displaced by its rubber-tired wheels.</p> - -<p>“Our man!” Cray whispered.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XXV. -<br /> -<small>THOSE EXTRA-HEAVY SUIT CASES.</small></h2> - - -<p>Green Eye did not reply to the burly detective’s -warning, but his hand took a firm grip on the revolver -in his pocket.</p> - -<p>He was holding it by the barrel, however.</p> - -<p>The brief interval that followed seemed long and -tedious, but in reality it could not have been of more -than three or four minutes’ duration.</p> - -<p>Although tense and physically on the alert, Gordon -found his mind wandering. He wondered idly where -Simpson had been staying, and how he dared to travel -about even at night in the same machine in which he -had removed the gold from the Hattontown bank.</p> - -<p>“He probably counts on Griswold doing nothing,” -he decided, then grimly called himself to account. -“What difference does it make to me where he has -been hiding?” he asked himself impatiently. “The -important thing is that he seems to be here, that the -gold also seems to be here, and that he’s going to be -kind enough to show me where it is.”</p> - -<p>The unseen car approached very quietly, and came -to a halt outside the gate. They heard the faint -scrape of the man’s heel as Simpson dismounted, then -footsteps approached the gate, the latch was cautiously -lifted, and the gate swung inward.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span></p> - -<p>Obviously Simpson intended to drive into the yard, -and that could mean only one thing—that he intended -to remove a substantial part of the gold, if not all of -it, and wished to bring the machine as close to his -hiding place as possible, so that he need only carry -the stuff a minimum distance.</p> - -<p>The fugitive was within a few feet of the two men -when he pushed the gate back against the fence, but -they made no attempt to tackle him. They felt pretty -sure that the loot was hidden in the garage, but until -there was no longer the slightest room for doubt, they -meant to give Simpson all the rope he needed.</p> - -<p>Presently the faint, buzzing sound of the motor -began again, and then the vehicle loomed over the top -of the fence. Simpson was backing it very slowly and -cautiously into the graveled driveway in front of the -garage.</p> - -<p>Now the car—an electric coupé somewhat larger -than usual—was in the yard, and part of it was hidden -to view beyond the garage. It was backed a few -feet farther, and then the subdued humming of the -motor abruptly ceased.</p> - -<p>Again the two watchers heard the driver step out. -Now there was a new sound, that of a key being inserted -in a lock. The lock clicked audibly in the stillness, -after which the door of the garage began to slide -aside.</p> - -<p>Not one of the sounds that had been made thus far -could have been heard at a little distance, but not -one of them had escaped the keen ears of Cray and -Green-eye Gordon.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span></p> - -<p>As they anticipated, the man did not push the garage -door fully aside, that being unnecessary, owing to the -fact that he did not intend to drive the machine in, -but only to gain access himself, and to have room -enough to carry out what he meant to make away -with.</p> - -<p>The time for action had come at last.</p> - -<p>After exchanging signals, the two men behind the -lumber pile silently straightened up, exercised their -cramped limbs in the air, one after the other, and -then stole toward the nearest corner of the little structure. -Guided by the sounds within, they peered -around the corner, and saw that the open door of the -coupé was just opposite the door of the garage, and -that no more than two or three feet separated them.</p> - -<p>They had expected Simpson to begin carrying out -the stuff at once, and meant to attack him as soon as -he had completed his task and save them the trouble -of handling the gold. Now, however, it was evident -that he was digging.</p> - -<p>They caught the scrape of his foot on the spade, and -a series of faint “swishes,” as spadeful after spadeful -of soft soil was thrown aside.</p> - -<p>It was impossible for the two men to exchange -words, but they turned and looked at each other, their -faces close together. Plainly, it was necessary for -them to wait still longer, if they intended to carry out -their original program and let Simpson do the work.</p> - -<p>The garage in itself had not appealed to him as -an altogether safe hiding place, and he had gone to -the trouble of burying the loot under the structure.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span></p> - -<p>Some minutes passed before Simpson’s spade struck -something hard. After more scraping and rasping, -the fugitive brought out a box or some similar receptacle, -to judge by the sounds. Incidentally its -weight was made manifest by the subdued grunts -and pants which they heard.</p> - -<p>A few moments’ rest followed, and then the man -awkwardly conveyed the box—or whatever it was—to -the door.</p> - -<p>The watchers saw now that it was a suit case of the -stoutest leather, bought, doubtless, for the purpose, -but looking considerably the worse for wear, as a -result of its burial.</p> - -<p>After a great deal of effort, the far-from-athletic -Simpson succeeded in hoisting it into the coupé. -Would he fill up the hole now and close the garage, -or was there more to follow?</p> - -<p>Obviously there was more, for after some further -digging and a lot of sighs and mutterings, a second -suit case, somewhat smaller, was dragged out and -deposited in the car.</p> - -<p>“That must be all of it,” thought Green Eye. -“Eighty thousand dollars in gold doesn’t weigh a ton -or fill a coffin.”</p> - -<p>He was right. At any rate, Simpson’s actions -quickly convinced them that he did not intend to remove -anything more that night. He looked apprehensively -in the direction of the house, and reëntered the -garage, where, for some minutes, he again busied himself -with the spade.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span></p> - -<p>He was filling in the hole. The clash was about due -now.</p> - -<p>Gordon had an inspiration. He had been wondering -how Simpson had previously concealed the freshly -turned earth, or how he meant to do so now.</p> - -<p>“I’ll bet he has it fixed so that the excavation appears -to have been made for the purpose of sinking -one of those underground gasoline tanks!” he told -himself. “Very likely he’s got the whole paraphernalia -there, and the tank is actually in the ground. That’s -what I would have done under the circumstances, at -any rate.”</p> - -<p>As a matter of fact, his guess proved to be a singularly -accurate one, for that was just the blind to which -Simpson had resorted.</p> - -<p>The spade had been laid aside now, and the critical -moment had arrived. Cray turned to his companion -and made a series of quick, expressive gestures.</p> - -<p>“I’ll tackle him. You be ready to gag him while I -hold him,” they said as plainly as words.</p> - -<p>An instant later, Simpson reappeared in the narrow -space between the garage and the car, and, turning his -back, started to shut the big, sliding door.</p> - -<p>That was Jack Cray’s opportunity, and, taking -immediate advantage of it, he launched himself full -tilt at the thief’s back.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XXVI. -<br /> -<small>NOT ON THE PROGRAM.</small></h2> - - -<p>Simpson gave a startled gasp and tried to turn, but -Cray’s weight bore him down, and in a trice they -were on the ground.</p> - -<p>Gordon showed himself, and approached as they -flopped about for a few moments in that confined -space. Suddenly he turned without warning and ran -around the corner behind which he had just been -hiding. He quickly circled about the tiny garage and -approached the struggling men from the other direction.</p> - -<p>The space had been so narrow that it would have -been awkward for him to get at Simpson’s head. -Now, however, he could do so without difficulty, and, -as he stooped, he had a handkerchief all ready to gag -the prisoner.</p> - -<p>Cray, he found, had Simpson by the throat, and was -effectually preventing any outcry, while his great bulk -kept the prisoner from squirming out from under -him.</p> - -<p>“Now, give it to him!” Jack muttered, breathing -heavily. “He can’t let out a peep.”</p> - -<p>Green Eye forced the wretch’s jaws apart, and, inserting -the handkerchief, tied it tightly in place; -whereupon, Cray rolled Simpson over and handcuffed -his wrists together behind his back.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span></p> - -<p>The capture had been completed in record time, with -no battle to speak of, and without a sound that could -have been heard in the front of the house. Neither of -the victors was inclined to congratulate himself very -much on that achievement, for whatever might be said -of John Simpson’s cleverness in gaining possession of -that snug little fortune in gold, the treasurer was far -from a desperate character to deal with.</p> - -<p>“Now, keep still!” commanded Cray. “If you don’t, -you’ll wish you had, I can promise you!”</p> - -<p>The warning seemed entirely superfluous, but Jack -Cray knew that gagged men have sometimes managed -to make sounds in their throats which have been loud -enough to bring assistance.</p> - -<p>With Gordon’s help, the captive was jerked through -the doorway and into the garage. One man had already -been disposed of, and Gordon was now secretly -turning his attention to Cray, but the latter did not -dream of that.</p> - -<p>Jack’s interest at the moment was confined to the -helpless man whose face he desired to see to better -advantage. Accordingly he drew out his flash light -and turned it upon Simpson’s features.</p> - -<p>The treasurer’s face was very pale—ghastly, in fact—and -his lips were working convulsively on the -gag, while his eyes were those of a cornered animal.</p> - -<p>To an inexperienced person, he bore little resemblance -to the descriptions of the missing treasurer, and -certainly he did not look like the manager of the Hattontown -<em>Observer</em>, whose character he had assumed at -the bank. As a matter of fact, his disguise was a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> -rather effective one, in view of his inexperience, for -he had been wise enough not to attempt too much.</p> - -<p>A rather straggling little mustache, grayish, and too -long, with a tendency to “weep,” had been transplanted -to his upper lip, and proved to be unusually in -keeping with his somewhat weak features. He wore -a wig of an expensive sort, very difficult to detect, and -the rest of his disguise consisted of a few inconspicuous -lines, by which he had managed to change his expression -to a surprising extent.</p> - -<p>Cray made short work of the mustache and wig.</p> - -<p>“Well, my friend,” he announced, “here we are! -You didn’t look for us, did you? Here are Nick Carter -and old Jack Cray, at your service.”</p> - -<p>He shook his head as he contemplated the shrinking -man.</p> - -<p>“You’ve certainly a lot of misdirected ability in a -number of ways, Simpson,” he remarked. “If you -had exhibited half as much when you were holding -down your job on the <em>Chronicle and Observer</em>, you -might have made something of yourself. There’s -a big streak of incompetency in you, though. Queer -mixture you are—very.”</p> - -<p>He paused for a moment, while Simpson quailed -under his glance and looked the picture of misery.</p> - -<p>“Got any more of the stuff buried, or did you dig -it all up?” Cray demanded, jerking one stumpy thumb -toward the place where his prisoner had been digging.</p> - -<p>Simpson nodded despairingly.</p> - -<p>“All in the car, eh?”</p> - -<p>There was another nod.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Well, I’m inclined to believe you,” Jack announced, -“but we don’t intend to let it go at that, you know. -Have to do a little digging on our own account to make -sure.”</p> - -<p>He stepped aside and reached for the spade.</p> - -<p>“What are you doing, Mr. Carter?” he called out -softly.</p> - -<p>But in a moment the other’s occupation was evident -enough, for Gordon was leaning through the open -door of the coupé and working, with trembling fingers, -at the straps of one of the suit cases. The weight of -the case left little or no doubt concerning the nature -of its contents, but his greed had compelled him to -take a look at the gold at the first opportunity, especially -when he had found that both cases were only -strapped, not locked.</p> - -<p>“I wanted to be sure this was the stuff,” he replied -to Cray’s question, and continued feverishly until the -cover was raised.</p> - -<p>It was gold beyond question—a great quantity of it.</p> - -<p>Much of it was still done up in packages, just as it -had come from the bank in Hattontown, but many -of the packages had been broken open, either by accident, -or because Simpson had wanted to feast his eyes -on the thousands of bright, newly minted coins.</p> - -<p>Cray looked over Green Eye’s shoulder for a moment.</p> - -<p>“Looks like the real stuff,” he commented indifferently. -“Got to dig and see if there’s any more, -though.”</p> - -<p>“Go ahead, then,” his companion said impatiently.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span></p> - -<p>Gordon also wished to be sure that all of the stolen -gold that remained was in the car, but he could not -tear himself away from the sight and touch of those -gleaming coins just then. Besides, he was quite willing -that Cray should do whatever dirty work might be -involved.</p> - -<p>While the perspiring Cray was again removing the -dirt which Simpson had shoveled back into the hole, -the master criminal fondled the gold in the two suit -cases, then grudgingly closed and strapped them. He -had hardly done so before Cray announced:</p> - -<p>“He told the truth. At any rate, there’s no more -of it here.”</p> - -<p>Green-eye Gordon took his revolver from his pocket -and clubbed it.</p> - -<p>“Just leave everything as it is, and let’s get out of -this,” the supposed Nick Carter said impatiently, stepping -aside, so that he was not directly in front of the -garage door. “Come out here a moment, though, before -we put this fellow into the car. I don’t want him -to overhear.”</p> - -<p>At that, the unsuspecting Cray threw the spade -aside and came out, mopping his forehead.</p> - -<p>“Where are you?” he asked, looking about uncertainly -from beneath the folds of his handkerchief.</p> - -<p>For the time being, his big hand was protecting -his forehead, but the moment he withdrew it, in order -to see better, the blow fell.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XXVII. -<br /> -<small>GORDON MAKES HIS GET-AWAY.</small></h2> - - -<p>As it happened, Jack Cray’s skull was a pretty tough -one, and, therefore, the criminal’s first blow, vicious -as it was, did not end matters.</p> - -<p>It badly dazed the ex-police detective, making him -totter and throw out his hands instinctively, but the -attack was so extraordinary, coming, as he believed, -from Nick Carter, that he fought with all his might -to retain his senses long enough to see what it meant.</p> - -<p>“Mr. Carter!” he muttered; then, lurching forward, -peered at his assailant.</p> - -<p>The act took Gordon by surprise. He had been -prepared to strike again, but his blow missed its mark -and struck Cray on the shoulder.</p> - -<p>“Curse you!” Green Eye snarled, raising the weapon -a third time. “Take that, then!”</p> - -<p>But Cray seized him in a clumsy, though powerful -grasp, and, with blinking eyes, peered into his face at -close range. A moment later, Gordon wrenched himself -loose, but the emergency seemed to have made -Cray’s brain act with more than its customary speed.</p> - -<p>Despite the poor light, Jack had got a near and clear -view of that distorted face and those rage-filled, greenish -eyes. Had he been his normal self, he probably -would have disbelieved the evidence of his own senses,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> -for he would have recalled the seemingly conclusive -reports of Gordon’s death. As it was, however, he -recalled nothing of this at the time, and only remembered -the peculiarity which had given Ernest Gordon -his nickname.</p> - -<p>“Good heavens! Green-eye Gordon!” he whispered.</p> - -<p>A second later, the criminal’s third blow fell -squarely on his forehead, and he went down, without -a groan.</p> - -<p>Immediately Green Eye bent over him and switched -on his flash light.</p> - -<p>“Curse you, curse you!” he reiterated wildly, striking -Cray’s unprotected head again and again, apparently -with all his might.</p> - -<p>He had no definite intention of killing the detective, -but he was seeing red just then, and did not care in the -least how hard he struck. As a matter of fact, he -was inclined to believe that he had murdered his victim, -and he actually hoped that he had, for Cray’s -recognition of him had enraged him beyond measure.</p> - -<p>On the other hand, that sort of thing had never -been in his line. He had prided himself on his ability -to succeed without resorting to such extremes, and -for that reason he shrank from any attempt to ascertain -definitely whether Jack Cray were living or dead.</p> - -<p>Besides, he was naturally impatient to be off with -the gold, and away from this place where he had momentarily -forgotten himself.</p> - -<p>Accordingly, he rose from his knees, without another -glance at the unconscious man, and, pocketing his -weapon, returned to the door of the garage. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> -prisoner could not have seen what took place; but, -as the attack had occurred just at the corner of the -little building, and within a few feet of the door, it -was quite possible that he had heard enough to reconstruct -the whole scene, despite the remarkable quietness -which had prevailed.</p> - -<p>That, however, could not be helped, and as Gordon -planned to lock the absconding treasurer in the garage, -he did not anticipate any immediate trouble from that -direction.</p> - -<p>Moreover, Cray had, so to speak, introduced himself -and his companion to Simpson, speaking of Gordon -as Nick Carter, of course. That promised to furnish -the basis of a nice mystery.</p> - -<p>Green Eye found the prisoner almost fainting with -terror, and finished the work already begun, by fastening -him in such a way that he could not budge from -his place, or make any noise to amount to anything.</p> - -<p>“This will have to be your cell for the present, Simpson,” -he informed the trembling thief. “Don’t worry, -though, you’ll find yourself in a real one, before -long.”</p> - -<p>And he turned his back on the wretched man and -stalked out, pushing the door to and locking it behind -him.</p> - -<p>Cray remained to be disposed of, but Gordon had -not forgotten that fact. He had had no intention of -placing the two men in the garage, for he considered -that unwise, on general principles. If Cray were -dead, as he believed, the presence of the body might -drive Simpson to extraordinary exertions, and thus<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> -bring about a premature discovery. On the other -hand, if Jack were still alive, the two men might find -means of communicating with or helping each other.</p> - -<p>What then?</p> - -<p>Naturally it occurred to the criminal that it might -be well to bundle Cray into the car and carry him for -some distance from the scene of the affair before attempting -to dispose of the body. A moment’s thought -caused him to veto that plan, however.</p> - -<p>The car was not overlarge, and if Cray’s bulk were -added to that of the two gold-laden suit cases, the interior -of the electric machine would be overcrowded.</p> - -<p>Furthermore, the upholstery was rather light in -hue, and Gordon was afraid of bloodstains.</p> - -<p>On the whole, therefore, he decided to leave his victim -in the yard, but to conceal him as well as he could.</p> - -<p>To that end, he dragged Jack’s inert form around -the corner of the garage to a point close beside the lumber -pile. Then very quietly he began removing boards -from the top of the pile and placing them in another -and narrower pile just on the other side of the body.</p> - -<p>When he had raised this smaller pile to the required -height, he began placing more boards in such a way -that each one projected an inch or so beyond the one -below it, thus forming a sort of arch over Cray’s -outstretched form—a one-sided arch that soon touched -the original pile of lumber and leaned against it more -or less securely.</p> - -<p>“There!” Green Eye muttered. “Now he can’t be -seen from the house or the road here at the back. The -ends are open, to be sure, but I can’t help that. I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> -haven’t anything here to cover the openings. All I -ask, though, is a start of a few hours, and that I shall -certainly have.”</p> - -<p>As best he could, he obliterated the track he had -left in dragging Cray to the lumber pile, after which -he climbed into the machine, disposed of the precious -suit cases to the best advantage, and touched the starting -lever.</p> - -<p>He had not yet turned on the lights of the car, but -the hours he had spent in the gloom had thoroughly -accustomed his eyes to the darkness, and, therefore, -he had no trouble in guiding the easily controlled car -out through the gate and into the road beyond.</p> - -<p>There he brought it to a stop, and, returning hastily, -obliterated the tire marks in front of the garage -and such of his own footprints as he could find. He -did not wish to use his flash light too much, however; -therefore, it is quite possible that the job was not a -very thorough one.</p> - -<p>Finally he passed through the gate, closed it, and -reëntered the car, which quietly purred away into the -night.</p> - -<p>Green-eye Gordon’s extraordinary daring had put -him into possession of a fortune of close to seventy-five -thousand dollars, at least, as well as a bundle of -papers which might yield him several times that -amount.</p> - -<p>He had robbed a thief and left the latter an unofficial -prisoner, doomed to starvation, in all probability, -if he were not soon found.</p> - -<p>And he had murderously assaulted Jack Cray and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> -left him, a battered and bleeding hulk, supposedly -dead.</p> - -<p>It was quite a day’s work, and Green-eye Gordon -may be excused for feeling considerably elated. His -work was full of holes, however, and far from detection-proof, -as Nick Carter could have proved to him -in short order.</p> - -<p>The question was, would Nick have the chance in -time to avoid a chase around the world?</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XXVIII. -<br /> -<small>WHAT THE DOG BARKED AT.</small></h2> - - -<p>About half past six the following morning, Mrs. -Simpson’s maid, who had slept out, let herself into -the house with her latchkey and quietly made her way -to the kitchen.</p> - -<p>As usual, her first act was to open the door and -windows, for the weather was warm. In doing so, she -was attracted by a disturbance in the back yard, and -realized that she had heard a dog barking furiously as -she came along the street and through the house.</p> - -<p>She had paid no particular attention to the persistent -barking, but now that she found the animal was in the -rear of the Simpson lot, and acting very strangely, her -curiosity was fully aroused.</p> - -<p>She did not know the dog. It was brownish in -hue, collarless, and neglected in appearance. Obviously -it was a stray animal which had found its way -there on a foraging expedition.</p> - -<p>Now, however, its original errand had been completely -forgotten, and the greatest excitement had -taken its place.</p> - -<p>The creature was running from one end of the lumber -pile to the other—always being careful to remain -at a respectful distance—and was giving vent to an -unending series of frenzied barks.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span></p> - -<p>The open country lay just beyond the Simpson -house, and the girl’s first thought was that some small-game -animal had taken refuge in some cranny of the -lumber. Urged on by her curiosity, she stepped out -of the house and started toward the rear of the yard.</p> - -<p>“It’s a rabbit, mebbe, or a squirrel,” she told herself. -“Why don’t the fool dig at it, though, instead -of yelping its head off?”</p> - -<p>But by that time she had reached a point from -which she could get a view of the rear end of the -lumber pile. Suddenly she halted in her tracks.</p> - -<p>“For the love of Heaven!” she muttered. “That’s -funny! Who’s been monkeying with that lumber? -It’s been piled over in the night, or some of it has been -swiped, and they’ve left a hole underneath. That’s -where the mutt’s rabbit, or whatever it is, is making -itself scarce.”</p> - -<p>Vaguely disturbed by her surprising discovery, she -approached the spot more slowly.</p> - -<p>“There seems to be as much lumber as ever,” she -decided, “but what does it mean? Who would have -taken the trouble to do that—in the dead of night, -too—if he wasn’t up to some mischief?”</p> - -<p>Now the dog caught sight of her and came running -forward. She shooed him away, and he began barking -at her, but the barks now had a pleading note in -them, and again and again he ran back to the pile of -lumber.</p> - -<p>“He wants me to help him, the poor boob!” the girl -thought, with a pitying smile. “Ain’t that just like a -fool dog?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span></p> - -<p>But she advanced a little farther, somewhat warily, -and sniffing the air as she did so. Certainly it was -not a skunk that had been cornered, and it was not -likely that the creature was ferocious.</p> - -<p>Having finally arrived within six or eight feet of -the end of the pile, the maid stooped cautiously and -peered into the little tunnel. A moment later, she -gave a piercing scream, picked up her skirts, and fled -to the house.</p> - -<p>Again and again she raised her voice as she ran, but -fortunately her vocal efforts did not again touch the -high-water mark of that first cry, which, as it proved, -had awakened Mrs. Simpson.</p> - -<p>The girl scuttled through the lower part of the -house, and was flying up the stairs, when her mistress -appeared at the top of the first flight.</p> - -<p>“What in the world is the matter, Mary?” Mrs. -Simpson demanded.</p> - -<p>As she put the question, she clutched at her heart, -for her thoughts had instinctively gone to her missing -husband, and she imagined that the maid must have -had some news of Simpson, or, perhaps, had even -found his body on the front doorstep.</p> - -<p>Naturally, therefore, the girl’s information was -not reassuring.</p> - -<p>“Oh, Mrs. Simpson!” she cried. “There’s been a -murder as sure as you live! There’s a dead man under -that pile of lumber in the back yard! I saw his -feet!”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Simpson’s face was as white as her nightdress.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Merciful Heaven!” she breathed, horror in her -eyes. “I knew it—it’s Mr. Simpson! Oh, how can I -bear it, how can I bear it!”</p> - -<p>And she clutched the banister for support.</p> - -<p>Fortunately, however, the girl knew better than -that, even in her fright, and said so at once.</p> - -<p>“No, no, it ain’t Mr. Simpson!” she said pityingly, -patting her mistress’ heaving shoulder. “This man’s -got big feet, Mrs. Simpson. His shoes ain’ a bit like -your husband’s.”</p> - -<p>“Are you sure?”</p> - -<p>“Certain sure, ma’am.”</p> - -<p>“Thank Heaven!” the frightened woman cried fervently. -“It’s terrible enough, though, if what you -say is true. Call the neighbors, get some man here as -quick as you can. I’ll dress while you’re gone.”</p> - -<p>The maid ran downstairs on the new errand, and -Mrs. Simpson returned to her bedroom. Five minutes -later, she left the house by the rear door, wrapped -in a long kimono.</p> - -<p>The servant’s errand had already borne fruit, for, -although the girl herself was not in sight, a man in his -shirt sleeves and with dangling suspenders was just -climbing over the side fence.</p> - -<p>“What’s this I hear about a dead man, Mrs. Simpson?” -he called out, as he caught sight of her. “Your -girl wasn’t very coherent, but I caught something -about the lumber pile in the back yard.”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Simpson hurried to him and pointed to the pile -of boards.</p> - -<p>“There it is,” she explained nervously. “Mary says<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> -a man is underneath, and I can see that something has -been done to the pile since yesterday. That hole -wasn’t there then.”</p> - -<p>The dog was still keeping up his incessant noise as -they approached, and the neighbor found it impossible -to drive him away. Mrs. Simpson stopped at some -distance, and the man went on.</p> - -<p>He, too, stopped and peered into the opening under -the pile, but laid his hand on it in order to do so. After -a prolonged scrutiny, he straightened up.</p> - -<p>“There’s a man under there,” he said soberly. “You -had better go to the house, Mrs. Simpson. This is no -place for you.”</p> - -<p>Confronted by this emergency, however, the fugitive’s -wife showed unexpected courage.</p> - -<p>“I shall do nothing of the sort,” she said. “The -poor fellow may not be dead yet, for all we know, and -unless the sight is too terrible, I shall remain to help -you. Besides, he’ll have to be brought into the house, -anyway, so why shouldn’t I see him now?”</p> - -<p>“Of course, if you feel that way about it, Mrs. Simpson, -stay, by all means,” the neighbor replied, turning -and beginning to throw the boards back.</p> - -<p>In half a minute he was joined by a couple of other -men, while the maid and several other women appeared. -These latter kept at a distance, however, and, -in response to their urgings, Mrs. Simpson joined -them.</p> - -<p>The combined efforts of the men resulted in uncovering -Cray’s body in almost no time. The sight that -met the rescuers’ gaze was a distressing one, for the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> -detective’s face was battered and bloody, and there did -not appear at first to be any life in his big body. One -of the men examined him, however, and presently announced -that he was still alive.</p> - -<p>“I wouldn’t give much for his chances,” he said, -shaking his head, “but he isn’t dead, that’s certain. -I’ll go for Doctor Lord.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XXIX. -<br /> -<small>“THE GREENISH EYES!”</small></h2> - - -<p>Doctor Lord was a young man, with next to no -practice, who had recently moved into one of the new -houses on the hill. It was easier, therefore, to go for -him in person than to stop to telephone.</p> - -<p>In the meantime, the women were reassured and -thrilled by the announcement that Cray still lived, and -Mrs. Simpson at once took steps to care for him.</p> - -<p>She had sent the maid to the house for a basin -of warm water and some towels. With these at hand, -Mrs. Simpson herself knelt beside the unfortunate -man and tenderly wiped the blood from his forehead -and face.</p> - -<p>Not until then had she recognized him, but when -she did so, she gave a great start, and an audible gasp -escaped her.</p> - -<p>The other women were crowding around then, and -her behavior was not lost on them.</p> - -<p>“What’s the matter?” they demanded. “Do you -actually know him?”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Simpson bitterly regretted her display of emotion. -Fear seemed to be squeezing her heart with icy -fingers. In the background of her mind a foreboding -had been lurking for days. Her instincts had told her -that there was something strange and sinister about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> -her husband’s disappearance—something which the -office had not seen fit to reveal to her.</p> - -<p>Now she recalled all of Cray’s strange questions -and stranger actions.</p> - -<p>“He’s a detective!” she told herself. “I was right. -John is in trouble, and this man must have set a trap -for him last night. If he dies, John will be his murderer. -Oh, how could he do it! And Heaven pity me, -how can I stand it!”</p> - -<p>She was the soul of honor herself, however, and -simply did not know how to lie.</p> - -<p>“Yes, I recognize him now,” she admitted reluctantly. -“I never saw him until yesterday, though, and -I don’t know what he was doing here last night—if -he was here. He’s a Mr. Jones from my husband’s -office, and he said they had sent him to see if he could -help find Mr. Simpson.”</p> - -<p>The young doctor arrived at that juncture, and, at -his request, Mrs. Simpson repeated the information -for his benefit as he worked over Cray.</p> - -<p>“You don’t know where he lives, then, or anything -about his people?”</p> - -<p>“No, but they would naturally know about that at -the newspaper office, wouldn’t they?”</p> - -<p>“That’s true. You had better telephone there, then—or -somebody had. This poor fellow has had a terrible -battering. Fortunately his skull is very tough, -but though I can’t be sure at present, I fear it has been -fractured, in spite of that. If so, the outcome is problematical, -and he may not recover in any case.”</p> - -<p>He rose to his feet.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span></p> - -<p>“But the first thing to do is to get him into the -house,” he declared. “Have you a bed or a couch on -the first floor, Mrs. Simpson?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, there’s a couch, doctor.”</p> - -<p>“Good! Make that ready for him, then, and we’ll -bring him right in.”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Simpson and the maid rushed away to do the -young physician’s bidding, and several women accompanied -them. The men waited for perhaps five minutes, -in order to allow time to get the couch in readiness. -Then they lifted Cray’s inert bulk as carefully -as they could and bore it slowly toward the house.</p> - -<p>It was no easy task, for the detective weighed close -to two hundred pounds, but their united efforts were -equal to it, and the unconscious man was soon lying, -partially undressed, on the comfortable couch in one -of the lower rooms.</p> - -<p>A little later, every one had left the house, with -the exception of the doctor, who continued to work -over Cray for some time.</p> - -<p>“I’ve done all I can at present, Mrs. Simpson,” he -announced finally. “If you don’t mind, though, I’ll -stay with him for the present, so that I shall be on hand -if any change comes.”</p> - -<p>He paused and smiled frankly.</p> - -<p>“You see, I’m not overburdened with practice,” he -explained, “and under the circumstances, I’m inclined -to make as much out of this case as I can—in the way -of experience, I mean.”</p> - -<p>That promised to relieve the woman of a great -deal of responsibility, and she accepted the suggestion<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> -readily enough, although she would have preferred, -if possible, that no outsider should have access to the -patient.</p> - -<p>“I’m afraid you had better telephone to the office, -though, before breakfast,” the doctor went on. “As -yet, there’s no knowing how this case is going to turn -out, and this poor fellow’s friends may live out of -New York, in some other direction. In that case, -there’s a possibility that it will take hours for them to -reach here.”</p> - -<p>“I’ll telephone at once,” Mrs. Simpson assured him, -“and, meanwhile, Mary will be getting breakfast. You -must join me in the dining room, doctor, or let her -bring you something here.”</p> - -<p>She intended to play the part that had been thrust -upon her as well as she could, even though her mind -was filled with all sorts of tragic possibilities.</p> - -<p>Fortunately there was a telephone in the house, and, -after considerable delay, Mrs. Simpson got in touch -with the office of the New York <em>Chronicle and Observer</em>. -To her regret, however, she could find no -one who knew anything about an employee by the -name of Jones who answered her description.</p> - -<p>It was explained, however, that the hour was a very -early one, and that the business offices would not be -open until eight-thirty.</p> - -<p>“This is the editorial department,” the man at the -other end assured her, “and we don’t know much about -the other branches. I’ll make a note of it, though, -and of your telephone number, and have the matter<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> -brought to the attention of the general manager when -he arrives.”</p> - -<p>“I—I think it might be well to inform Mr. Griswold -himself,” the woman ventured to suggest. “Mr. -Jones told me yesterday that Mr. Griswold had sent -him. I don’t know whether he meant it literally or -not, but——”</p> - -<p>“Well, I’ll do everything I can, Mrs. Simpson,” the -editor promised, and with that she had to be content.</p> - -<p>Doctor Lord was plainly disappointed at the news, -but seemed to have nothing better to suggest.</p> - -<p>“It’s pretty early,” he admitted.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Simpson finished dressing, and she and the -young physician breakfasted together, after which he -returned to Cray’s side, while his hostess busied herself -with some of her morning duties.</p> - -<p>Lord was a practical, unimaginative young man, -and therefore, although he was greatly interested in -the case from a professional standpoint, he did not -waste much time in speculation regarding it. That -was for the local authorities to do. He would not -have been human, however, had he not pricked up his -ears when his patient, after showing various signs of -returning life, began to move uneasily, and to mutter.</p> - -<p>The doctor was able to make out two names, which -were repeated over and over again.</p> - -<p>The names were “Gordon” and “Nick Carter.”</p> - -<p>“Nick Carter!” muttered the listener. “That’s -queer! That must be the well-known New York detective. -What the dickens has this fellow got to do<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> -with him, though, unless he has done something wrong, -and Carter is after him?”</p> - -<p>Then he remembered the rumors that were flying -all about in the neighborhood—rumors which hinted -that there was something queer about John Simpson’s -unexplained absence.</p> - -<p>“This is getting interesting!” Doctor Lord told -himself meditatively.</p> - -<p>“Nick Carter!” Cray muttered again, and this time -he added: “The eyes—the greenish eyes!”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XXX. -<br /> -<small>MRS. SIMPSON LEARNS THE TRUTH.</small></h2> - - -<p>Lane A. Griswold’s big car hummed softly to itself -as it climbed the hill from the village of New Pelham, -and stopped in front of No. 31 Floral Avenue.</p> - -<p>The millionaire newspaper proprietor was on a -strange errand, and his expression showed that he -realized it.</p> - -<p>Although he was frequently absent from his luxurious -suite of private offices in the <em>Chronicle and Observer</em> -building for weeks at a time, he had walked in -that morning promptly at nine o’clock, instead of ten -or eleven, as was his usual habit when in town.</p> - -<p>Five minutes later, he was in possession of such -facts as his general manager and the editor could give -him concerning Mrs. Simpson’s phone message. The -manager, of course, informed him that no such person -was employed in the building, but the description had -set Griswold to thinking.</p> - -<p>“I’ll call her up myself,” was the unexpected announcement -which had sent his subordinates about -their business. The connection was quickly made, but -the conversation which had ensued was very brief.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Simpson described Jones’ visit of the day -before in a very few words, and then told of the finding -of the injured man. Griswold wanted to ask her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> -to describe the latter once more for his benefit, but -refrained, thinking the request might seem rather -strange.</p> - -<p>“I see,” he answered, instead. “I think I had better -come up to the house myself, Mrs. Simpson. I -shall start at once, and ought to be there in an hour, I -should say.”</p> - -<p>Less than that time had been required for the trip, -and now the millionaire stepped out of the car and -approached the house, looking about him rather critically -as he did so.</p> - -<p>He had not always been wealthy, and he knew that -No. 31 Floral Avenue, though insignificant enough -from his present standpoint, was not the sort of place -that a man dependent on the salary of the size of John -Simpson’s was able to afford. Accordingly, therefore, -he came to the same conclusion that Jack Cray -had reached the previous day.</p> - -<p>“By Heaven!” he muttered, the skin under his jaws -tightening. “The fellow must have been helping himself -from the fund before he decamped. What a fool -he is! What fools they always are to make a big -showing on nothing. Don’t they know what a telltale -performance it is?” Then he smiled a little grimly -and shrugged his shoulders. “I suppose, though, it’s -natural that they should want to find some outlet for -the money they’ve sold their souls for,” he added -mentally, as he pressed the button of the electric bell.</p> - -<p>The maid presently opened the door, and Griswold -gave his name. He was ushered into the same room -in which Cray had been conducted less than twenty-four<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> -hours before, and in hardly more than a minute -Mrs. Simpson joined him.</p> - -<p>Griswold looked at her with a touch of curiosity, -for to him the members of his staff had always been -little more than the cogs in the great machine that he -drove, and it was rather hard for him to think of them -in any intimately human relationship.</p> - -<p>As soon as their first formal greetings were over, he -came to the point at once.</p> - -<p>“I’m very much interested—after a fashion—in this -man Jones, Mrs. Simpson. Are you sure you made no -mistake in the name?”</p> - -<p>“Quite, Mr. Griswold,” the missing treasurer’s wife -replied positively. “That’s certainly the name he gave -me yesterday. He said you had sent him, too. He -asked me all sorts of questions about Mr. Simpson -and the house and myself—very strange questions, -some of them. He even requested me to show him -about the place. I do hope——”</p> - -<p>Lane Griswold held up one carefully manicured -hand.</p> - -<p>“It’s all right, I think, Mrs. Simpson,” he hastened -to assure her. “If he’s the man I think he is, he was -quite justified in saying I sent him. Apparently, however, -he didn’t choose to give his own name, which -seems to have been a rather useless and unlooked-for -performance. Describe him, please.”</p> - -<p>The woman did so, and Griswold nodded once or -twice during the description.</p> - -<p>“That’s the man,” he admitted. “The name has -caused some confusion, however, and the rest was due<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> -to the fact that he isn’t regularly employed at the -office, but works for me personally.”</p> - -<p>He was studying Mrs. Simpson’s face intently, and -trying to decide whether it were worth while to continue -the deception or not. Surely, if she had any -intelligence, she must have suspected long before that -there was something very queer about her husband’s -disappearance. Still, so long as she did not insist upon -the truth, he thought it best not to be too definite.</p> - -<p>“I hope Mr.—er—Jones isn’t badly injured?” he -said.</p> - -<p>“He’s still unconscious, sir, and the doctor seems to -be afraid that his skull may be fractured. If he has -any relatives, Doctor Lord thinks that they should -be notified at once.”</p> - -<p>“I know nothing about his family affairs,” Griswold -said, a trifle impatiently. “My impression is that he’s -alone in the world, but I may be mistaken. May I see -him?”</p> - -<p>“Of course. He’s here on the first floor. They did -not wait to take him upstairs. This way, please, Mr. -Griswold.”</p> - -<p>And she led the way to the room in which the battered -detective lay, drawing back, however, at the -threshold. The young doctor was still there, largely, -perhaps, for want of something better to do.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Simpson had said that the patient was unconscious, -thereby giving Griswold a somewhat mistaken -idea. Certainly Cray had not returned to normal consciousness, -but he was by no means in the motionless -stupor the newspaper proprietor had looked for. If<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> -his informant had told him that Jack was delirious, he -would have been better prepared.</p> - -<p>Nick’s burly friend was tossing restlessly to and -fro—at least, his head and arms were—and just as -Griswold came to a halt and looked down at him, he -uttered two words which had come frequently to his -lips that morning.</p> - -<p>“Nick Carter,” he muttered, in a somewhat muffled, -but perfectly distinct voice.</p> - -<p>“He has been repeating that name at intervals for -hours,” the young doctor remarked. “It must be the -detective, don’t you suppose?”</p> - -<p>Griswold was under the impression that Mrs. Simpson -had withdrawn, but even that did not entirely explain -the slip that followed. He who had desired secrecy -above all things must have forgotten himself for -the time being.</p> - -<p>“Yes, it’s the detective,” he answered in a matter-of-fact -tone. “This man is himself a detective, and -they were working together on——”</p> - -<p>He stopped abruptly as a cry from the doorway -reached him. Mrs. Simpson had heard what he said.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XXXI. -<br /> -<small>THE MILLIONAIRE PLAYS SLEUTH.</small></h2> - - -<p>As we have seen, the missing man’s wife had always -had an uncomfortable feeling that all was not as it -should be. Her husband had not been himself for -some time before his disappearance, and the sudden -fit of extravagance which had led him to take the new -house on such short notice, and to talk about buying -a car, had aroused suspicions, which she had loyally -tried to tread under foot.</p> - -<p>Naturally, therefore, his actual flight, and the -strange attitude of those connected with the newspaper—their -unwillingness to have her go to the police, for -instance—had worried her greatly, although she had -succeeded again and again in arguing herself into a -belief that there was some other explanation.</p> - -<p>Now, after hearing Lane Griswold’s unguarded -statement, there was no longer any room for doubt in -her mind. She staggered forward half blindly, and, -forgetting the doctor, or ignoring him, she laid both -trembling hands on Griswold’s sleeve.</p> - -<p>“My—my husband!” she stammered. “Then he—took——”</p> - -<p>The newspaper proprietor lowered his head.</p> - -<p>“Yes,” he answered soberly. “I’ve tried to keep -the truth from you as long as I could, Mrs. Simpson. -I thought you were out of earshot. You must try to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> -bear up under it. If I had had any intention of prosecuting -Simpson for making away with the relief fund -he was handling, this whole affair would not have been -conducted with any such secrecy. I have hired private -detectives to investigate, because I wished to keep -things quiet, in order that the reputation of the <em>Chronicle -and Observer</em> might not be tarnished.”</p> - -<p>“Then, if they catch John, he’ll not be arrested? Is -that what you mean?”</p> - -<p>“Exactly,” he answered. “I must confess, Mrs. -Simpson, that I shall not approve in every way of such -an outcome. I believe in just punishment. As it happens, -however, we’re not in a position to punish your -husband without starting a lot of injurious gossip -about the way we handle public contributions. Therefore, -when Simpson is found, he’ll merely be forced -to disgorge. His discharge is already awaiting him -on his desk, of course. Beyond that, I shall do nothing.”</p> - -<p>As may be imagined, Mrs. Simpson’s emotions were -chaotic. Her horror at the certainty of her husband’s -crime had been succeeded by loving anguish, as she pictured -his arrest and punishment. Now she was greatly -relieved to hear that there was no danger of this; but, -on the other hand, her heart bled as she realized what -it would necessarily mean to them both, at best. He -was no longer a young man, and had been able to save -very little. His disgrace and the loss of his position -would almost certainly age him greatly, perhaps cause -a complete breakdown. Nothing but misery seemed in -prospect.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I—I thank you, but I’m in—in no condition to -remain!” the poor woman sobbed, and, turning on her -heel, precipitately left the room and fled upstairs.</p> - -<p>Griswold and the doctor exchanged glances. The -former was as sorry for Mrs. Simpson as he could -be in his own way.</p> - -<p>“You’ll treat this as strictly confidential, I’m sure,” -the millionaire said. “You must see the importance -of secrecy to us, and so long as there can be no prosecution, -there’s no use in making that poor woman’s -life more of a burden to her than is unavoidable. -There’ll be a lot of gossip here, anyway, I suppose, but -we must do all we can to minimize it.”</p> - -<p>“I agree with you perfectly, sir, and you may count -on me,” Doctor Lord declared sincerely.</p> - -<p>“Thank you. Now, tell me, please, what you make -of this man’s injuries, and what you know of the circumstances?”</p> - -<p>The doctor’s reply was a rather lengthy one.</p> - -<p>“There must have been several blows, and they -were very severe,” he concluded. “I should say that -they were delivered by a man of unusual strength.”</p> - -<p>“That’s interesting,” Griswold said, with a change -of expression. “You don’t believe, then, that a man -of slight build, who had spent practically all of his life -in an office, could have perpetrated the assault?”</p> - -<p>Doctor Lord shook his head emphatically. “That’s -extremely unlikely,” he replied. “In fact, I venture -to say that it’s quite impossible.”</p> - -<p>“Then, it’s hard to explain,” Griswold muttered. -“Apparently Cray found some reason to hang about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> -here last night, presumably to catch Simpson, or to -recover the missing gold. If he was knocked out by -an unusually powerful man, the only reasonable conclusion, -it seems to me, is that the fellow in question -must have been an accomplice of Simpson’s.”</p> - -<p>The doctor shrugged his shoulders.</p> - -<p>“That’s the way it looks to me offhand,” he answered. -“I don’t pretend to be a detective, though.”</p> - -<p>“Neither do I. Such problems interest me, though. -Can you tell me where the phone is?”</p> - -<p>The doctor informed him, and Griswold left the -room in search of it. After a little more delay than -usual, owing to its being a suburban call, the millionaire -was connected with Nick Carter’s house in -New York. He was informed, however, that the detective -had left there shortly after seven o’clock the -evening before, and had not yet returned. Furthermore, -nothing had been heard from him.</p> - -<p>This information was a great disappointment to -Griswold, for he had hoped to get in touch with Nick -at once.</p> - -<p>“Very likely he has gone to Hattontown,” he decided. -“If both of them had been watching this place, -Cray would hardly have got the worst of it to such an -extent, and would certainly not have been left to be -found by accident—unless there’s a whole gang involved. -In that case, Carter himself must have met -with foul play. But it doesn’t seem likely that Simpson -could have enlisted any strong-arm assistance.”</p> - -<p>He reëntered the room where Doctor Lord was.</p> - -<p>“I think I’ll have a look around myself,” he announced.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> -“Will you tell me just where this man was -found?”</p> - -<p>Three minutes later, he approached the pile of lumber, -having quietly left the house by the front door and -walked around by way of the graveled drive.</p> - -<p>He was looking for signs of a struggle, but had -found none. The arrangement of the lumber had been -changed when the boards had been hastily thrown -from on top of Cray’s form, and the sod had been -badly trodden by the rescuers.</p> - -<p>Having decided that he was not capable of reading -the signs there, if there were any to be read, the newspaper -proprietor stepped rather aimlessly toward the -little garage. Passing around it, he tried the door, and -found it locked. While he was tugging at it, however, -a sound came to his ears from within, and he paused -abruptly, holding his breath.</p> - -<p>“What was that?” he thought.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XXXII. -<br /> -<small>SIMPSON IS FOUND.</small></h2> - - -<p>The sound was a curious, muffled groan, and in a -moment it was repeated.</p> - -<p>“Good heavens!” the thought flashed through Griswold’s -mind. “What if Carter has been injured, too, -and locked in here?”</p> - -<p>For perhaps half a minute the newspaper proprietor -hesitated, as any man might have done under the circumstances, -then he called out in a guarded tone:</p> - -<p>“Is that you, Carter?”</p> - -<p>There was no answer in words, but he heard another -groan—or, rather, a prolonged and incoherent sound, -which suggested a tongueless man’s efforts at speech.</p> - -<p>“He’s probably injured or gagged,” Griswold concluded. -“I mustn’t waste any time.”</p> - -<p>He pressed against the sliding door some distance -below the lock, and found that it gave quite a little. -That discovery encouraged him, and, running around -the garage, he approached the pile of lumber, and -snatched up one of the boards.</p> - -<p>It was twenty feet or more in length, and about six -or eight inches in width.</p> - -<p>Returning as rapidly as he could, he pressed the -door with his hand, and inserted one end of the board -in the opening thus made, after which he began to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> -pry at the door. The length of the board made it unwieldy -and inclined to bend, but Griswold soon remedied -that by pushing in several feet of the board, and -then deliberately breaking it off.</p> - -<p>He thereupon threw the larger piece aside, and, -using the smaller, which was now wedged in the door, -he drew it out for some distance, and then repeated -his prying operations.</p> - -<p>This new weapon was much more convenient and -less inclined to bend. In fact, it proved to be unexpectedly -sturdy, and, after repeated attempts, into -which he threw all his strength, the millionaire presently -succeeded in breaking the lock.</p> - -<p>The door was then quickly pushed back, and Griswold -peered into the interior of the garage. The place -was comparatively dark at first, in comparison with -the bright sunlight outside, but a further shove at the -door let in more light, and revealed a figure propped -up against the lower wall. There was a gag in its -mouth, its hands were evidently tied behind its back, -its ankles were bound, and a closer scrutiny revealed -that, in addition, it was tied to the wall in some way -so that it could not budge from its place.</p> - -<p>Almost immediately Griswold saw that it was not -Nick Carter—or, rather, the man whom he supposed -to be Nick Carter. As he strode forward, however, -with an exclamation of pity, he did not recognize the -unfortunate, the lower part of whose face was obscured -by the handkerchief which was used as a gag.</p> - -<p>It was not until this was removed that recognition<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> -came, and when it did, Griswold started back in amazement.</p> - -<p>“Simpson!” he cried. “What on earth are you doing -here?”</p> - -<p>The man tried to speak, but seemed unable to articulate. -Probably his throat and tongue were too dry -from disuse, and very likely the tongue and lips were -swollen as well.</p> - -<p>Griswold saw the difficulty, and did not repeat his -question just then. Instead, he proceeded rapidly -to cut the cords which bound Simpson to the wall, and -also to sever the bonds about the ankles.</p> - -<p>The body sagged to one side from weakness, and -when the millionaire turned it over to get at the wrists, -he found them encircled by handcuffs, instead of ropes.</p> - -<p>“Great Scott!” he muttered. “This is certainly a -strange state of affairs.”</p> - -<p>It looked as if Simpson had been caught by Cray—or -perhaps by Cray and Nick Carter together—and -that subsequently the detective had been set upon by -others. That would account for Cray’s condition, and -it might be that Nick had been carried off. Had the -prisoner been locked in the garage, however, before -that attack had taken place? If not, it seemed hard -to explain, unless the mysterious assailants had not -been accomplices of his at all, but had worked independently.</p> - -<p>The newspaper proprietor propped Simpson up -again, none too gently.</p> - -<p>“I can’t get these handcuffs off,” he said. “Speak,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> -man, as soon as you can, and tell me what happened? -Where’s the money?”</p> - -<p>John Simpson looked about him as if he did not -quite understand. As a matter of fact, his experiences -had left his faculties more or less benumbed for the -time being.</p> - -<p>Griswold had to repeat his question in a more -peremptory tone.</p> - -<p>“The money is gone,” Simpson managed to say at -last, after several futile efforts and much moistening -of the lips. “I—I had it here.”</p> - -<p>“Go on, go on!” Griswold urged, bending eagerly, -with clenched hands.</p> - -<p>“I had come in the car to carry it away to—to a -new hiding place I had found,” the absconding treasurer -explained with difficulty. “It was all in the car—two -suit cases full of it—when a couple of fellows -pounced on me.”</p> - -<p>“Two, eh?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, one was rather tall and very broad and -powerful——”</p> - -<p>“Cray!” put in Griswold.</p> - -<p>“Yes, he told me that after I was handcuffed,” -Simpson agreed, “and he said the other man was Nick -Carter.”</p> - -<p>“So Carter was here? I wonder what’s happened to -him? When did the others butt in, Simpson, and who -were they?”</p> - -<p>The handcuffed man looked up at him in bewilderment.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I don’t know anything about any others,” he declared, -with evident sincerity.</p> - -<p>“But there must have been others. Cray was found -outside here this morning, with his head nearly mashed -in. Didn’t you hear anything after they shut you up. -You didn’t go to sleep right away, did you, after that -sort of thing? Did you have any accomplice?”</p> - -<p>The treasurer shook his head in a dazed sort of -way. “Nobody else had any hand in what I did, Mr. -Griswold,” he said. “As for falling asleep, I guess you -wouldn’t have done that very quickly if you had been -in my place. I did doze off after daylight, but that was -all.”</p> - -<p>There could be no doubt that he was telling the -truth. “Probably you were in a deep, exhausted sleep -when they found Cray,” he said. “The yard seems -to have been full of people then.”</p> - -<p>“I did hear a dog barking,” Simpson admitted -finally. “It partially aroused me, but I dropped off -again. Maybe that was the time.”</p> - -<p>“Then you haven’t the slightest idea of what happened -after you were locked up here?” persisted Griswold.</p> - -<p>“Why, I guess I could explain that,” the thief replied -slowly, as if he were just beginning to realize what it -all meant. “It must have been Nick Carter who——”</p> - -<p>“Who did what?”</p> - -<p>“Who put the other fellow out of business.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XXXIII. -<br /> -<small>SUSPICION FALLS ON NICK.</small></h2> - - -<p>“For the love of Heaven!” exclaimed Lane Griswold, -in a shocked voice. “You are crazy, Simpson, -or lying! Do you actually mean to charge Carter, who -is one of the greatest detectives we have in this country, -and a man who is absolutely above suspicion in -every way, with having turned on his friend and associate, -Cray, and then made off with the money?”</p> - -<p>Simpson’s air was one of injury. “I’m not crazy, -and I’m not lying,” he answered. “I’m telling you, -or am ready to tell you, just what I know, and all I -know. You’ve got me where you want me. Is it -likely that I’d do anything to get in deeper than I am?”</p> - -<p>“Then, tell me about it—everything.”</p> - -<p>“Well, it isn’t much, and I didn’t actually see anything. -I heard things, though—more than I was intended -to, I guess. They tied me up here, and then, -while Carter was looking at the money in the suit -cases which I had already got in the car, Cray dug -over there to make sure that there wasn’t any of it still -buried. When he got through, Carter called him to -come out, saying that he had something to tell him that -he didn’t want me to hear.”</p> - -<p>“Where was Carter then?”</p> - -<p>“He wasn’t in sight. He had stepped to the corner<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span> -out there, just back of where the car was. You can see -that he could not have been many feet from here, so -it was easy enough for me to hear things.”</p> - -<p>“Well?”</p> - -<p>“Well, Cray went out, leaving the door open behind -him. The next thing I knew, I heard a queer -sort of dull thud, and pricked up my ears. It sounded -as if somebody had been hit, perhaps with a fist, or, -more likely, with something else.</p> - -<p>“Of course, I didn’t know then which man had -done it, but I suspected that Carter had, because he -had called Cray out. The blow must have given Cray -something to think about, for there was a pause before -I heard him say ‘Mr. Carter!’—just like that. He -said it as if his best friend had turned on him, and -he didn’t know what to make of it. I guess Carter -must have tried to hit him again right away, for they -had a little tussle. It did not amount to much, because, -as I figured it out, Cray must have got a pretty -nasty blow that first time, and there wasn’t very much -fight in him. He must have done something, however, -for the other fellow snarled, ‘Curse you; take that, -then!’ and rapped him again, as I could tell by the -sound. Still Cray was not down and out. They -clinched, apparently, and then Cray muttered something, -or whispered it in a hoarse sort of whisper. I -couldn’t hear all of it, but it was something about -‘green-eyed.’ That seemed to make Carter more furious -than ever, so far as I could tell. He cursed Cray -some more, and seemed to strike him again and again.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> -That was the end of it. Carter locked me in then, -and I think he dragged Cray around the garage before -he drove off.”</p> - -<p>Lane Griswold had been listening with all his ears -throughout this recital, his face the picture of amazement -and incredulity. Incidentally, his keen eyes -seemed to search Simpson’s very soul.</p> - -<p>The man was a thief, and might easily be a liar as -well. What possible motive could he have for lying, -however? The millionaire could think of only one, -and that seemed far-fetched. It was conceivable, of -course, that, despite all the probabilities, John Simpson -might have had one or more confederates who had -struck down Cray, and carried the loot off to some new -place of concealment. In that case, the treasurer’s -story might be made up out of whole cloth.</p> - -<p>But after a brief mental consideration of this, the -millionaire rejected the theory. If Simpson had had -any one to help him, surely he would not have remained -tied up there in a locked garage to starve, or -be caught by those who were searching for him.</p> - -<p>Even if he had actually been surprised and handcuffed -by Cray before the arrival of his friends, the -latter would not have left him there to such an uncertain -fate. After giving the detective his quietus, -they would have carried Simpson off with them, handcuffs -and all, and found a means of releasing him later -on.</p> - -<p>No, the man must be telling the truth. He had suffered -great hardships, and he was face to face with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span> -the employer he had defrauded. Surely, he was not -the sort of man to lie under such circumstances, especially -after having confessed to hiding the money under -the earthen floor of the garage.</p> - -<p>But if he had told the truth, and had not misinterpreted -what he heard—which seemed unlikely—what -could it possibly mean, except that the sight of so -much gold had proved too much for the great detective, -and that he had turned criminal.</p> - -<p>Griswold faced the possibility very reluctantly, but -he felt obliged to face it. In fact, the more he thought -about it, the more convinced he became that it was the -one and only solution.</p> - -<p>As a newspaper proprietor, he knew a great deal -about the seamy side of life, and was the custodian -of many discreditable secrets which for one reason or -another had never been allowed to see the light of -print. He did not need any one to tell him that all is -not gold that glitters, or that a man is necessarily -straight in every respect because he has never been -found out in any wrongdoing, and has always enjoyed -the best of reputations.</p> - -<p>As far as that went, this might not be Carter’s first -fall from grace. The detective was undoubtedly an -extraordinarily clever man, and was said to be wealthy. -Might it not be that he had contrived for years to deceive -his clients, and fatten his bank account at their -expense?</p> - -<p>The thought made Griswold gasp, but at the same -time it caused his heart to race with excitement.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span></p> - -<p>What a beat it would be if his papers could announce -exclusively that Nick Carter, one of America’s greatest -detectives, and the so-called “archenemy of criminals,” -was in reality a master criminal himself! It -would cause a sensation, the like of which had never -been known.</p> - -<p>Of course, Griswold confided none of this to the -man before him. Instead, with the instinct of the reporter, -which had never deserted him since his early -days of struggle, he surprised Simpson with a question.</p> - -<p>“Well, what do you make of it?” he asked.</p> - -<p>The thieving treasurer’s mind had reverted to his -own troubles, and it was with some difficulty that he -pulled himself together sufficiently to answer.</p> - -<p>“Why, I—I hardly know what to think, Mr. Griswold,” -he replied. “It’s pretty hard to reconcile that -sort of thing with what I’ve always heard and read -about Nick Carter, but I have to believe my own ears, -don’t I? The money seems to have looked good -to Carter, just as it did to me, but that wasn’t all of -it, I’m sure.”</p> - -<p>“What do you mean by that?”</p> - -<p>“I’m thinking about that whisper of the other fellow’s,” -Simpson explained. “I told you, remember, -that he said something about ‘green-eyed.’ We use -that expression in only one connection, don’t we, in -speaking of ‘green-eyed jealousy?’ Don’t that look as -if Cray was accusing Carter of turning on him because -he was jealous of him for some reason?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span></p> - -<p>Griswold was impressed. “That sounds plausible -enough,” he admitted.</p> - -<p>He was unconsciously allowing himself to be led still -further astray, and it began to look as if the outcome -might be decidedly unpleasant for the great detective, -for the owner of a chain of great newspapers is not an -accuser who can be ignored or despised.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XXXIV. -<br /> -<small>GRISWOLD IN COMMAND.</small></h2> - - -<p>The millionaire remained lost in thought for a few -moments longer, then grasped Simpson firmly by the -arm.</p> - -<p>“Come into the house,” he ordered.</p> - -<p>“But—but these, sir!” his former subordinate stammered, -nodding over his shoulder, and moving his -hands so that the chain of the handcuffs rattled.</p> - -<p>For the moment Griswold had forgotten his desire -for secrecy. To be sure, if he could expose Nick, he -would be willing to have all the facts come out, but he -knew that he would have to be very sure of himself -and his facts before publishing any such charge against -a man of the detective’s reputation; consequently, he -would have to delay, in the hope that Cray would be -able to tell his side of the story, and until then it -was desirable that no rumors should be set in motion.</p> - -<p>Therefore, he slipped off his motor coat and threw -it like a cloak over Simpson’s bowed shoulders.</p> - -<p>“Come!” he commanded again.</p> - -<p>And with shuffling steps, his head down, John Simpson -accompanied him to the house, but went through -the kitchen, instead of going around to the front door.</p> - -<p>“Thank Heaven!” the maid cried, as she caught -sight of her employer. “Mr. Simpson! Is it really<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> -you? I must run and tell Mrs. Simpson right this -minute!”</p> - -<p>“No, no, Mary!” the wretched man protested -weakly. “Not—not yet! I wish to surprise her.”</p> - -<p>Griswold had not told Simpson that the injured detective -was in the house, but now he led the thieving -treasurer to the room in which Cray lay. He said -nothing about his object, because he wished to see if -Simpson would recognize the patient at once.</p> - -<p>If he did so without hesitation, and spoke of him -as Cray, that would go far to indicate the truth of his -story, for if Cray had been struck down under other -circumstances, this unexpected sight of him might -well cause a momentary confusion.</p> - -<p>The spectacle was, indeed, unlooked for, but though -surprised, Simpson did not appear to be in the least -embarrassed.</p> - -<p>“Yes, that’s the fellow who called himself Cray,” -he said, with a nod. “He was the one that jumped on -me first, and the other, Carter, gagged me. He certainly -seems to be in pretty bad shape.”</p> - -<p>The doctor looked at him in the greatest surprise. -He had never met Simpson, for the latter had moved -to the hill very recently. He knew him by sight, however.</p> - -<p>“You may or may not know that this is John Simpson -himself, Doctor Lord,” the newspaper proprietor -said bruskly. “I found him locked up in the garage -just now. I’ll make it worth your while, however, -to keep a discreet tongue in your head.”</p> - -<p>The young physician’s shoulders went back proudly.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I accept remuneration for professional services -only, Mr. Griswold,” he said crisply. “I hope I can -be trusted not to blab anything I may learn while attending -a case.”</p> - -<p>“I meant no offense, I assure you, doctor,” Griswold -hastened to say. “I merely——”</p> - -<p>“Wished to remind me of something you should -have taken for granted,” the doctor cut in. “Please -say no more about it, though.”</p> - -<p>Then Lane Griswold did another unexpected thing. -He held out his hand with an apologetic smile, and, -after a moment’s hesitation, Doctor Lord gripped -it firmly.</p> - -<p>A moment later Griswold led Simpson into another -room and closed the door.</p> - -<p>“Look here, Simpson,” he said, without preliminaries, -“I’ve been grievously disappointed in you, but -we’ll let that pass. I’m done with you, and your dismissal -is waiting for you at the office. I want to hear -no excuses. As for prosecution, however, you have -doubtless counted on immunity from that, and I regret -to say that you haven’t counted in vain—unless this -new complication makes it worth while to air the whole -thing for the sake of a supreme newspaper sensation. -For your wife’s sake, I’ll let you know about that as -soon as possible. Meanwhile, I shall see that you -are under observation all the time. You can’t get -away, for I may want you locked up. If I don’t, -you’ll soon be free to do what you please and go where -you please.”</p> - -<p>“I—yes, sir,” was all Simpson was able to say, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span> -he had to swallow more than once before he could -utter those words.</p> - -<p>“Now you had better go to your wife.”</p> - -<p>“But these handcuffs, sir!” Simpson again protested.</p> - -<p>“You should have thought of the possibility of such -adornments before you made away with that fund,” -Griswold told him sternly. “Don’t imagine that your -wife doesn’t know what you have been up to, for she -does. Still, it isn’t her fault, and I would not like -to see her needlessly distressed. Perhaps there’s a key -to the handcuffs in Cray’s pockets.”</p> - -<p>There was, and Simpson was freed from the humiliating -shackles before he went upstairs to face his wife.</p> - -<p>Griswold watched his halting progress, then sought -the young doctor once more.</p> - -<p>“It’s important that this man should be able to talk -as soon as possible—if he’s ever going to,” he said. -“If you desire to consult with any one, no matter what -his price, do so, and I’ll be responsible. You may also -look to me for your fee, and I wish you would get -the best of trained nurses you can procure—one whose -discretion you can rely upon. While you are with the -patient, listen carefully for anything he may say, and -make a note of it, whether it seems delirious or not. -Request the nurse to do the same, and see that I’m -notified by phone as soon as Cray is able to be questioned -for five minutes.”</p> - -<p>“Very well, Mr. Griswold.”</p> - -<p>“One thing more. If the patient should become -lucid at any time, and you or the nurse should have -reason to believe that he may lapse into this same<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> -condition in a few minutes, ask him just one question -and jot down his answer.”</p> - -<p>“And that question?”</p> - -<p>“Ask him who is responsible for his injuries—who -struck him down.”</p> - -<p>Doctor Lord agreed to do so if the opportunity offered, -and, after coming to that understanding, the -millionaire reëntered his waiting car.</p> - -<p>“New York,” he ordered, giving Nick Carter’s address.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XXXV. -<br /> -<small>A TRAP IS SET FOR NICK.</small></h2> - - -<p>Lane Griswold had telephoned to the detective’s -house only once, and then had been told that the detective -had not returned since the previous evening. It -might be, however, that Nick was there by this time.</p> - -<p>Nothing in Simpson’s story indicated that Nick had -met with any mishap, and it was improbable that a -man of his daring and resourcefulness would take -to his heels at once simply because he had become a -thief. It was much more probable that he would return -home and bluff it out to the end.</p> - -<p>In that case, Griswold hoped to corner him, and, -under threat of country-wide exposure, force him to -confess—after which an exposure would be likely to -follow, anyway.</p> - -<p>The millionaire’s face was flushed and determined -as he strode up the detective’s steps and pressed the -electric button in peremptory fashion.</p> - -<p>Joseph, the butler, opened the door.</p> - -<p>“Is Mr. Carter in?” Griswold demanded.</p> - -<p>“No, sir,” was the prompt reply. “I can’t say when -he’ll be back, either.”</p> - -<p>“I telephoned from New Pelham a couple of hours -ago,” Griswold went on. “I was told then that he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> -had left the house last evening, and had not returned. -Is that correct?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir.”</p> - -<p>“Don’t you know where he is?”</p> - -<p>“No, sir. He was going to New Pelham on the -seven-thirty train, however.”</p> - -<p>“He was, eh? That’s significant.”</p> - -<p>He had sized up the butler, and decided that he -was telling the truth. If necessary, he would try -diplomacy. If he could get hold of Nick’s assistants, -he told himself, he might obtain some valuable pointers.</p> - -<p>To be sure, if the detective had been playing the -wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing part for any length of time, -it was quite conceivable that his assistants, or some of -them, at least, were as bad as he. If this were the first -offense, however, it might be possible to get one of his -staff to turn against him, and assist in his capture, in -the hope of stepping into his shoes.</p> - -<p>“I’m Mr. Griswold, the owner of the <em>Chronicle and -Observer</em>,” he told the butler. “Perhaps you’ll remember -that I was here yesterday with Mr. Cray? I’m -very anxious to see Mr. Carter himself, but one of -his assistants might do.”</p> - -<p>“None of them is here now, sir,” Joseph told him. -“They’re all away from the city for one reason or -another. Mr. Carter’s chief assistant, Mr. Chickering -Carter, left for the Adirondacks with him just -the other day, and stayed up there when he returned -unexpectedly.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Carter’s leading assistant! He would be the best -one!” thought Griswold.</p> - -<p>Aloud he asked for Chick’s address.</p> - -<p>“Something has happened,” he explained. “Cray -has been rather badly injured, and I can’t seem to -locate Mr. Carter. Under the circumstances, I feel -compelled to telegraph for this young man you speak -of, or else to call in some outsider.”</p> - -<p>In view of this explanation, it is not surprising that -the butler gave him the desired information, especially -as he and Mrs. Peters had been worrying somewhat -over Nick’s unexplained absence.</p> - -<p>Armed with the address, Griswold lost little time -in reaching the nearest telegraph office, and in drafting -a message to Chick Carter. It read:</p> - -<p>“Unusually important case on. Am badly injured. -Come at once.”</p> - -<p>And it was signed “Cray.”</p> - -<p>He had decided to send it in the injured detective’s -name, believing that it would have more force than -if dispatched by a third party. The absence of any -specific directions for finding Cray was intentional. -Griswold had neglected to make any inquiries concerning -the injured man’s relatives, and did not even know -where he lived. He had been to his office, that was -all, and he knew that to be a business building.</p> - -<p>He did not care to give the New Pelham address, -because he hoped to have a very confidential interview -with Chick, and he did not care to have it take place -under Simpson’s roof; therefore, he had decided to say -nothing about it, and to meet Chick’s train—for he had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> -estimated the time required for the telegram to reach -its destination, and could easily look up the trains -when he reached his office.</p> - -<p>It was then nearly one o’clock in the afternoon, and -Chick could not be expected before morning. Meanwhile, -Griswold hoped for a summons from New -Pelham, but none came.</p> - -<p>Growing impatient, he telephoned late in the afternoon, -and was informed by the new nurse that there -had been no change in Cray’s condition, except one -for the worse. He had sunken into a deep stupor.</p> - -<p>“Hang it all! I hope he isn’t going to die,” Griswold -muttered. “If he does, without recovering consciousness, -I may not be able to fasten this thing -on Carter, after all, for I’m certain Simpson’s testimony -would not have any great weight, unless corroborated.”</p> - -<p>Later, the millionaire called up Cray’s office. He -did not believe the injured detective had any one to -keep the place open during his absence, but he wished -to make sure, if possible, whether a message had been -received from Chick Carter or not. As he had expected, -he found the place closed.</p> - -<p>It then occurred to him to return to Nick’s house. -The detective might have put in an appearance; if not, -it was possible that Chick had sent a reply there, trusting -that it would reach Cray indirectly.</p> - -<p>In this latter respect, his surmise was correct. Nick -had not returned, and Joseph’s worry had grown. On -the other hand, a telegram had arrived for Jack Cray,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span> -and Joseph was holding it; not knowing what else to -do with it.</p> - -<p>Griswold promised to deliver it, and took it in -charge. In this way he learned that his guess as to -Chick’s train was correct. The young detective wired -that he would arrive in New York at eight-thirty the -following morning.</p> - -<p>Nothing developed in the interval, and a few minutes -before eight-thirty the next morning, Griswold -took up his position at one of the gates leading to -the tracks in the great Forty-second Street terminal.</p> - -<p>The train from the Adirondacks arrived at schedule -time, and began to disgorge, while the millionaire, who -had obtained a description of Chick from the butler, -narrowly scanned the faces of the passengers as they -hurried through the gate.</p> - -<p>The newspaper proprietor did not have to wait long. -He soon caught a glimpse of an erect, keen-eyed, athletic -young man, striding down the platform, and -carrying a heavy suit case, as if it were a featherweight.</p> - -<p>“That must be Chick Carter!” he told himself, with -a nod of satisfaction.</p> - -<p>But the next moment he gave a gasp, and a look -of utmost bewilderment spread over his face.</p> - -<p>He had caught sight of the man at Chick’s side, and -feature for feature it was the man whom Cray had -called into consultation—was, in other words, Nick -Carter himself!</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XXXVI. -<br /> -<small>AT CROSS PURPOSES.</small></h2> - - -<p>Staggered, his brain reeling under the shock, Lane -Griswold was flung clean off his balance.</p> - -<p>What was Nick Carter doing here? Had he hidden -the money somewhere, and hurried northward to join -his assistant, as if nothing had happened?</p> - -<p>That must be it, and yet it hardly seemed possible -that he could have made the journey in that time. He -would have had to leave New York in the dead of -night following the robbery, and if he had reached -the mountain resort in the far northern part of the -State before Chick’s departure, there could have been -no time to spare. In other words, he must have returned -at once with his assistant.</p> - -<p>But what nerve to have returned at all, in the face -of such a message from the man who had been half -killed by him!</p> - -<p>The detective could not know that the telegram had -not been written or dictated by his victim, and therefore, -must expect to have to face Cray.</p> - -<p>It was incomprehensible, and yet there was Nick, -beyond a doubt, and more than that, he was looking -as fresh and buoyant as possible.</p> - -<p>A policeman brushed past Griswold, and, with a -quick movement, the latter touched the officer on the -arm. He would have Nick arrested, and then——</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Yes, sir?” the bluecoat asked civilly.</p> - -<p>“That man!” the millionaire answered hoarsely, -pointing toward the approaching detective. “I must -ask you to——”</p> - -<p>Then something stopped him. He remembered that -he did not have enough evidence as yet, and that it -would be very unwise to press matters, unless he were -reasonably sure of proving his charges.</p> - -<p>“I—I’m mistaken!” he added confusedly.</p> - -<p>The policeman looked at him for a moment in disgust, -then turned away with a shrug of his shoulders, -muttering something under his breath.</p> - -<p>Undecided, his thoughts in a turmoil, the newspaper -proprietor stood aside and allowed Chick and his companion -to pass him. They had gone hardly more than -ten paces, however, before he suddenly made up his -mind to follow and have it out with the detective at -once.</p> - -<p>He feared that it was a very foolish thing to do, -under the circumstances, especially as Chick might be -in the secret as well; nevertheless, he counted on his -wealth and prominence to stay their hands, no matter -how hostile they might be.</p> - -<p>Just how he meant to proceed, he did not have the -slightest idea as yet, but impulse flung him after the -pair, and he overtook them just as they were about to -step into a taxi.</p> - -<p>“Mr. Carter!” he said sharply.</p> - -<p>Both men turned.</p> - -<p>“That’s my name,” the older man replied, looking<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> -the millionaire over coolly, as if he had never seen -him before in his life.</p> - -<p>The scrutiny had not gone far, however, before a -look of recognition sprang into Nick’s eyes.</p> - -<p>“Ah!” he went on. “Mr. Griswold, is it not?”</p> - -<p>“You ought to know,” was the significant reply. “I -called on you yesterday, in company with Cray, and it -was that which took you to New Pelham night before -last.”</p> - -<p>Nick looked from the newspaper proprietor to his -assistant, and back to Griswold again.</p> - -<p>“There seems to be a very strange misunderstanding -here, Mr. Griswold,” he said. “I have just returned -from the Adirondacks, where we were enjoying -a little vacation. Chick, here, received a telegram -from my old friend, Jack Cray, stating that the latter -had been seriously injured in connection with an important -case, and asking that Chick return to New -York at once. I did not understand why the wire -hadn’t been sent to me, but, of course, I decided to -accompany my assistant. If you know anything about -Cray’s condition, I wish you would tell me.”</p> - -<p>The dignified, commanding Lane Griswold looked -at the detective in a half-dazed manner, and his lower -jaw showed a tendency to drop.</p> - -<p>“You are the coolest proposition I ever expect to -see, Carter!” he said, with grudging admiration.</p> - -<p>It was clear that something extraordinary was in -the air, and Nick acted accordingly.</p> - -<p>“I don’t know in the least what you are hinting -at, Mr. Griswold,” he said, “and this is hardly the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> -place for explanations. Will you do us the honor of -sharing our taxi with us? Perhaps we can come to -some understanding on the way home.”</p> - -<p>Certainly, there did not seem to be anything menacing -in his attitude, and in that of the younger detective -at his side. Both appeared to be genuinely mystified. -Griswold attributed it to good acting, nothing -more, but after a few moments’ hesitation, he decided -to accept the offer.</p> - -<p>They would hardly dare attack him in a cab in broad -daylight, and he need not enter the detective’s house, -if he did not choose to do so, when they reached their -destination. Accordingly, he bowed, and, in response -to Nick’s gesture, stepped into the taxi, after which -the others followed.</p> - -<p>“Now, you’ll greatly oblige us, Mr. Griswold, by -explaining what you are driving at,” Nick said, with -courteous firmness.</p> - -<p>The millionaire was a little too impetuous now and -then, and this was one of the occasions. His reason -told him that he had been misled in some unaccountable -way, and that this was the real Nick Carter, but -reason spoke in a very small whisper, and he did not -choose to listen—in fact, he hardly heard it.</p> - -<p>He had kept his rage and sense of injury bottled -up, thus far, but now it exploded.</p> - -<p>“I’m driving at just this, Carter,” he said hotly. -“You are found out—the game is up! I don’t know -whether this is the first time temptation has been too -much for you, or not, but I have you where I want -you, you thief! Your spectacular career is at an end.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> -My papers have a circulation well into the millions, you -know, and as soon as I say the word, the greatest -broadside of publicity that was ever fired will be hurled -at your crime of the night before last! Oh, you need -not glower at me! I’m not in the least afraid of you, -and what I say, I mean, as you will learn to your -cost.”</p> - -<p>Any one who knew Nick Carter well would have -seen that he was growing dangerously warm, but the -increasing tension was much more noticeable in Chick.</p> - -<p>That young man wore his “fighting face,” and was -bending forward longingly, with twitching hands on -his knees.</p> - -<p>Nick, seeing his assistant’s attitude and look, laid a -restraining hand on Chick’s arm.</p> - -<p>“Easy there, my boy!” he murmured, then turned -again to Griswold.</p> - -<p>“I fear you are a little hasty, and will soon regret -it, Mr. Griswold,” he said as quietly as he could. “If -I were not sure of your identity, and inclined to believe -that you are laboring under a very serious misapprehension, -I should not be so patient. I have been -in the Adirondacks for several days, and know nothing -whatever of the circumstances to which you -allude.”</p> - -<p>“You lie!” replied the millionaire, his face purple. -“You went to the Adirondacks several days ago with -your assistant, but you came back alone. I have your -own butler’s word for that. What’s more, I saw you -with my own eyes yesterday at your home, whither -Cray took me.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span></p> - -<p>Again Nick and his lieutenant exchanged glances. -It was beginning to look more and more serious. Had -Nick not recognized the newspaper proprietor at once, -they might have supposed the man to be irresponsible, -despite his references to Cray, but that explanation -seemed out of the question in Griswold’s case.</p> - -<p>Yet, the alternative appeared to be just as far beyond -belief.</p> - -<p>Had some one passed himself off as the detective -under any ordinary circumstances, it would have been -easy enough to believe, for such things had happened -often enough in the past. The millionaire’s statements, -however, seemed to imply that some person had -been passing as the detective in his own house, and -had done so in such a skillful and thoroughgoing way -that not only the servants, but even Jack Cray, had -been completely deceived.</p> - -<p>It was unbelievable, and yet what else were they to -think?</p> - -<p>Chick had often seen the skin over his chief’s jaw -and knuckles tighten ominously, but he never remembered -such a set, tense look as this one.</p> - -<p>Nick was beginning to realize that something unparalleled -had happened—something which struck directly -at his honor and prestige—and he was rising to -the emergency.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XXXVII. -<br /> -<small>GRISWOLD STILL DOUBTFUL.</small></h2> - - -<p>The detective leaned forward in the taxi, and held -Griswold’s eyes commandingly.</p> - -<p>“That’s about enough of that, Griswold,” he said, -with ominous quiet. “I would advise you to restrain -yourself. I’m not accustomed to being approached in -this way, and I’ve endured it thus far only because -I’ve made allowance for your obvious excitement. I -supposed that a man in your position would be sufficiently -informed concerning me and my work to have -no such illusions, and sufficiently in command of himself -to conquer such heated impulse. A moment’s reflection -ought to convince you that my presence up the -State for the last few days can easily be verified.</p> - -<p>“And now, if you’ll come to your senses, I shall be -more than eager to hear what you have to say about -this extraordinary experience of yours. First, though, -tell me how seriously my friend is injured.”</p> - -<p>During this speech, and for some moments afterward, -the millionaire newspaper man continued to -gaze at the detective as if he were trying to pierce his -very soul, and when he withdrew his gaze at length, -it was only to shift it to Chick.</p> - -<p>“You almost persuade me,” he told Nick at last. -“Either I’ve been dreaming, though, or I’m dreaming<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span> -now. This is the most amazing thing that has ever -occurred in my experience. I want to believe in you, -Carter, I assure you. I have all along, and it was only -with the greatest reluctance that I accepted the conclusion -which seemed forced upon me by circumstances -which I could not question.”</p> - -<p>He paused for a moment, and then launched into an -account of his reasons for visiting Cray, the latter’s -suggestion that they should call upon Nick Carter and -seek his aid, the interview in the detective’s study, and -so on.</p> - -<p>“I can’t see any difference,” he declared. “So far -as I can tell, you are the same man I talked with there, -and don’t forget that Cray himself was evidently convinced -that he was talking with you. Later, you—or -the man I took to be you—phoned me and asked -further particulars concerning Simpson. I hoped for -speedy results, of course, with the case in such hands, -but I heard nothing more until the next morning, when -I was informed that a man named Jones, who had represented -himself as connected with the <em>Chronicle and -Observer</em> office, had been seriously injured in New Pelham. -The description suggested Cray, and I hastened -up into Westchester County. I found that it was Cray, -and learned that he had been muttering your name. -He had been repeatedly struck on the head with some -blunt instrument, and the doctor feared a fracture. -He had not really been conscious, though, and hasn’t -been yet, to the best of my knowledge.</p> - -<p>“I questioned Mrs. Simpson and the doctor, and -learned that Cray had been found in the back yard<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> -near one of those little portable garages. Curiosity -sent me out there, and, hearing a sort of groan, I broke -into the garage, and, to my amazement, found Simpson -himself bound and gagged.”</p> - -<p>He then went on to repeat the treasurer’s story of -his capture, and the unseen conflict that had taken -place between Cray and his companion—the man -whom Jack had referred to as Nick Carter.</p> - -<p>Incidentally, he referred to the term “green-eyed,” -which Simpson had overheard.</p> - -<p>“Now, that’s pretty strong circumstantial evidence, -isn’t it?” he demanded at the conclusion. “If you -are really Nick Carter, and can prove that you haven’t -been in New York for days, no one will rejoice more -sincerely than I—although it would cheat me out of -a tremendous news sensation. Frankly, though, I still -find it almost impossible to believe you, despite your -attitude and your appearance of sincerity. How could -your own servants have been deceived? How could -any one have lived in your house for days without betraying -himself in some way? How could Cray, a detective -himself, and an old friend, have been so blind?”</p> - -<p>Nick and his assistant had listened to the story -with growing interest and excitement. More than -once they had exchanged meaning glances, but when -Griswold mentioned the compound word which had -been part of Cray’s last startled whisper, the faces -they turned to each other were a study.</p> - -<p>It seemed impossible for them to keep silence any -longer, but they managed to do so until the millionaire -had finished.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span></p> - -<p>“The ‘dead’ have come to life more than once, you -know, in our experience,” Nick said softly, looking -at his assistant.</p> - -<p>Chick nodded. “Yes, that must be it, I suppose,” -he agreed. “I was thinking all along that I knew -of no one else who would possibly have turned such -a trick, and when it came to that ‘green-eyed’ business——”</p> - -<p>“There wasn’t much room left for doubt,” Nick -supplied.</p> - -<p>“What in thunder are you two talking about?” Griswold -broke in.</p> - -<p>“Have you ever heard of Ernest Gordon, familiarly -known as Green-eye Gordon?” the detective asked him.</p> - -<p>“Of course. I read my newspapers more carefully -than any one else does. Good heavens! Is it possible -that you think Gordon could have impersonated you?”</p> - -<p>Nick nodded.</p> - -<p>“That’s precisely what I feel obliged to think,” he -answered.</p> - -<p>“But—but Gordon is in prison, isn’t he? No, by -Heaven, he’s dead! I had forgotten for the moment, -but he died in that fire up at Dannemora a short time -ago. Don’t you remember?”</p> - -<p>“That was the report,” Nick admitted readily, “and -naturally I accepted it at the time, as every one else -did. This astounding information you have just given -me, however, puts a very different face on the matter. -I believe Gordon would have been capable of that sort -of thing—in fact, I have evidence of similar stunts -pulled off by him in the past. Furthermore, I know<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span> -of no one else with a criminal record who would have -been capable of such a performance—and no one -without a long criminal experience would have dared -do such a thing. Finally, we have Simpson’s testimony, -which seems plain enough to me. When Cray -was first attacked, he naturally assumed that his assailant -was I, and he spoke my name in dazed incredulity. -The next moment, however, overwhelming doubt -would naturally have assailed him, and, under the influence -of that, he must have obtained a closer glimpse -in some way. Or it may be that the scoundrel betrayed -himself unconsciously. Jack was about all in by that -time, but he had strength enough to whisper his enemy’s -name. He wasn’t talking about green-eyed jealousy, -you may be sure, but about Green-eye Gordon!”</p> - -<p>“Very ingenious,” Griswold admitted doubtfully.</p> - -<p>“How could such a mistake have been made at the -prison, however? The report of Gordon’s death has -never been corrected.”</p> - -<p>“Probably because its inaccuracy has never been -discovered,” Nick told him. “A convict was burned -unrecognizably, and the remains were identified only -by the number on the coat. Another convict escaped -and hasn’t been recaptured. Isn’t it easy enough to -believe that a man of Gordon’s stamp might have seen -a fellow prisoner succumb to the choking fumes, and, -under cover of the excitement, might have managed -to exchange coats without being discovered?”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XXXVIII. -<br /> -<small>NICK DISCOVERS HIS LOSS.</small></h2> - - -<p>“By George!” ejaculated Lane Griswold.</p> - -<p>He was beginning to see light.</p> - -<p>“Is this Gordon of the same height and build as -yourself?” he asked eagerly a moment later.</p> - -<p>“Quite near enough for the purpose, as I recall,” -Nick replied. “More than that, he’s a master of make-up, -and would have had very little trouble in copying -my features. His eyes are light, nondescript, to be -sure, but——”</p> - -<p>“Then I don’t see how it would have been possible -for him to have fooled everybody in that fashion,” -the millionaire objected.</p> - -<p>“The human eye is far from perfect, Mr. Griswold,” -Nick reminded him. “Besides, we have to allow -always for the action of the mind behind it—that -mind which interprets everything it sees. In short, -we generally see what we expect to see. Such a successful -masquerade appears little short of miraculous -to one who isn’t a special student of such things, but -it’s far from an impossibility. My butler and housekeeper, -and Cray himself, had no reason to suppose -that it was not I they were seeing; therefore, as I -had been a familiar sight to them for years, they -would never have thought of examining the masquerader.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> -They merely gave him fleeting glances, and -as those glances did not detect any glaring defect, that -was all there was to it.”</p> - -<p>Nick paused and smiled.</p> - -<p>“Well, are you as sure as ever that I’m a rascal?” -he asked.</p> - -<p>The newspaper proprietor held out his hand with an -embarrassed air.</p> - -<p>“I’m afraid you’ll never forgive me, Mr. Carter, -for making such an accusation,” he said apologetically. -“You may be sure I shall never forgive myself. I -ought to have known better, of course, and I’m very -much ashamed that I didn’t.”</p> - -<p>“Say no more, please!” the detective cried heartily, -grasping the millionaire’s hand and giving it a good -shake. “I don’t blame you—I can’t. There didn’t -seem to be any other way out. Here we are, though, -at the house. Will you come in, Mr. Griswold? -Then, a little later, we can go up to New Pelham together, -if you wish, and see if poor Cray is any better? -Naturally, I’m anxious to get his side of the -story, in order to make sure that he really did identify -Green Eye.”</p> - -<p>“That program suits me,” Griswold responded. -“Naturally, if a man of Gordon’s stamp has got hold -of the fund, the chances of recovering the money are -slimmer than ever, and if you are willing to undertake -the case, there’s no time to be lost.”</p> - -<p>“Of course, I shall undertake it,” Nick assured him. -“You could not drive me off with an ax. My honor<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> -and reputation are involved, and, under the circumstances, -I shall refuse to accept a fee.</p> - -<p>“No, that’s final,” he insisted, in response to Griswold’s -objections. “I trust, however, that you will -fully recompense Cray, no matter whether he does -anything more or not. He has earned it.”</p> - -<p>They had reached the detective’s study by that time, -and Nick and his lieutenant were gazing about curiously. -In a moment the former stepped forward and -snatched up a pair of gloves that lay on the desk.</p> - -<p>“Look here, Chick!” he cried. “These are from my -room up in Harlem. I see I shall have to move it. I -didn’t dream that any one had discovered it, but Gordon -must have done so, it appears, before he was sent -up.”</p> - -<p>Chick, meanwhile, had approached the safe, and was -just about to examine it, when his chief called his attention -to the gloves. Now he returned and pushed -away the chair that Green Eye had placed in front -of it.</p> - -<p>“Good heavens, chief!” he ejaculated a moment -later. “He’s broken into your safe!”</p> - -<p>Nick reached the spot in one bound, and, after glancing -at the makeshift which Green Eye had employed -to hide his handiwork, he pulled the great door open, -and, bending, pressed the spring that operated the -inner one.</p> - -<p>The latter in turn clicked open, was seized, and -drawn back.</p> - -<p>A momentary glance revealed several empty pigeonholes, -and a confused mass of papers in others.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Merciful Heaven!” exclaimed Nick, clenching his -fists and raising them aloft, while his face became as -white as a sheet. “The fiend has taken what he wanted -here! I wouldn’t have had this happen for anything -in the world. It means—Heaven knows what it -doesn’t mean!”</p> - -<p>His assistant realized only too well what the catastrophe -foreshadowed, but, for the time being, he was -stricken dumb. He could only look from Nick’s -shocked face to the gaping safe.</p> - -<p>But, of course, Griswold did not fully comprehend, -and managed to put his foot in it again.</p> - -<p>“It’s too bad that you have lost any valuable papers,” -he said. “I have lost eighty thousand dollars, -though, and the sooner you get on the trail of the fellow, -the better.”</p> - -<p>Nick turned on him with a look of scorn. “What -do I care about your infernal eighty thousand dollars!” -he demanded fiercely, his patience exhausted at -last. “It doesn’t amount to a row of pins—or -oughtn’t to, at any rate. The papers in this safe, though—the -most valuable of which have doubtless been -stolen—involve the honor and peace of mind of scores -of men and women who are prominent in all walks of -life. Don’t you understand, man? They are my private -and most confidential records, covering the most -important cases of years—records which would mean -hundreds of thousands of dollars to the blackmailer. -And that isn’t all, for if used in that way, as this fellow -doubtless intends to use them, and will, if he -isn’t prevented at once, they will bring anguish to a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> -great many people. Finally, the fact that they have -fallen into unscrupulous hands will work me more -harm than anything else could possibly do.”</p> - -<p>His anger against Griswold had cooled while he -was speaking, however.</p> - -<p>“But, fortunately,” he went on in a calmer tone. -“We have every reason to believe that your gold is -in the same hands as my papers; therefore, the trail -isn’t likely to fork.”</p> - -<p>“That’s it,” Griswold agreed eagerly. “I beg your -pardon again, Carter. I didn’t realize what this loss -meant to you and others. It gives you a supreme incentive, -however, to go after the fellow.”</p> - -<p>Before he could add more, the desk phone rang, and -Chick answered it.</p> - -<p>“Yes, this is Mr. Carter’s house,” the young detective -said. “You are speaking from Mr. Griswold’s -office? Yes, Mr. Griswold is here. Do you wish to -speak to him?... All right, I understand. I’ll -tell him at once. Good-by.”</p> - -<p>The receiver clicked back into its place, and Chick -turned to the expectant listeners.</p> - -<p>“They say that the doctor has phoned from Simpson’s -house, at New Pelham, Mr. Griswold,” he said. -“Cray is conscious at last.”</p> - -<p>“Good!” ejaculated Nick. “You and I will go there -at once, Chick. How about you, Mr. Griswold? Will -you come along?”</p> - -<p>“Certainly,” was the prompt answer.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XXXIX. -<br /> -<small>CRAY’S LIPS ARE UNSEALED.</small></h2> - - -<p>Despite his eagerness to see his friend Cray, and -to get on the fugitive’s trail, Nick remained at the -house long enough to draft a telegram to the warden -of Clinton Prison, asking for further details concerning -the supposed death of Green-eye Gordon, and the -escape of one of the prisoners on the night of the fire.</p> - -<p>The message was given to the butler, who was -asked to phone it at once to the telegraph office.</p> - -<p>“They may have facts up there which they have been -keeping from the public,” Nick explained. “Even -seemingly valueless facts may assume great importance -in the light of what has happened down here, -for that matter.”</p> - -<p>Meanwhile, one of Nick’s fastest cars had been ordered -around, and now the familiar honk-honk was -heard.</p> - -<p>“There’s the machine,” Nick announced. “Come -on.”</p> - -<p>It was plain to be seen that both Nick and his assistant -were laboring under unusual excitement. The -chauffeur was instructed to push the car to the lawful -limit, and although he did so, with his usual skill, the -detective seemed to think the car was creeping.</p> - -<p>For miles and miles they had to traverse the streets<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span> -of the city which stretched out northward to the confines -of the Bronx, and not until these were passed, -did they feel free to risk a faster pace—and even then -they had to slow down through the frequent villages.</p> - -<p>It was not in reality a long drive, however, and in -less time than Griswold had made the trip the morning -before, they had covered the distance.</p> - -<p>The chauffeur had slowed down considerably before -entering the village of New Pelham, but they were -still going at a rapid rate, and Griswold was obliged -to raise his voice for his final instructions to the -chauffeur.</p> - -<p>“The top of the hill!” he called out, leaning forward -and pointing, while he held his hat on with the -other hand.</p> - -<p>The usually easy-going millionaire was having some -unusual experiences, and had been pretty thoroughly -shaken up in more ways than one.</p> - -<p>Straight up the hill that led from the heart of the -village, the great car raced, and Griswold added that -it was the last house. A few moments later the machine -came to an abrupt, but quiet, stop in front of No. 31 -Floral Avenue.</p> - -<p>Quickly the three men alighted and hurried through -the gate. The door was opened almost immediately -by the maid, and behind her stood Doctor Lord, who -had evidently been impatiently awaiting Griswold’s -arrival.</p> - -<p>The doctor looked inquiringly at the others.</p> - -<p>“Carter, shake hands with Doctor Lord,” he said<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> -informally. “Doctor, this is Nick Carter and this is -Chick Carter, his assistant.”</p> - -<p>“I’m very glad,” the young physician said heartily, -as he acknowledged the detective’s greeting. “Frequently -during the patient’s long stupor, Mr. Carter, -he mumbled your name.”</p> - -<p>“Just how is he?” Nick asked eagerly, and, for the -moment, concern for his friend weighed with him -more than anything else.</p> - -<p>“He’s better,” was the reply. “He has taken the -turn that I hoped for, and now, although he may be -laid up for some time, I think I may safely say that -the danger is over. You must not see him for long, -however, and you had better come at once. I’ve been -afraid that he might lapse into unconsciousness again -before Mr. Griswold could get here.”</p> - -<p>“You have questioned him as I suggested?” the -millionaire put in, as they moved toward the door of -the room in which Cray was lying.</p> - -<p>“Yes,” was the answer, “but he’s stubborn. He -refuses to tell me anything—said he would do so if -he felt himself losing consciousness again, but that -he wanted to say what he had to say directly to Mr. -Griswold, if possible.”</p> - -<p>They had reached the door of the room by that -time, and Lord stepped aside to allow the others to -enter.</p> - -<p>A nurse in a trim, crisp uniform was sitting beside -the couch, but rose and effaced herself quietly, thus -giving Nick his first unobstructed view of his friend.</p> - -<p>The burly detective seemed to fill the narrow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> -couch, and yet he appeared, somehow, shrunken. His -face was still very pale, and the big, hairy hand that -lay on his chest had a suggestion of helplessness -about it.</p> - -<p>Cray turned his head slowly, and looked toward -the door. Instead of seeing merely the millionaire, as -he had anticipated, he beheld two other visitors, and -identified them after a moment or two.</p> - -<p>“Mr. Carter!” he exclaimed weakly. “And Chick, -too! Is it really you this time, Carter? This is more -than I hoped for.”</p> - -<p>He tried to raise himself on one elbow, but sank -back faintly.</p> - -<p>“Lie still, old fellow!” Nick said, quietly stepping -forward and taking Cray’s hand. “You are gaining, -and must hold on to what you have gained. Take your -time, though, about——”</p> - -<p>“I can’t take my time, Carter,” Cray said, feverishly -clutching at his friend’s hand with both of his. “This -isn’t the worst yet. It was Gordon—Green-eye Gordon—who -did this to me, and he’s made off with two suit -cases crammed full of gold coins.”</p> - -<p>Nick saw that it would be necessary to cut the -interview short, but he wished to test Cray, if possible. -It might be that Jack had forgotten about the fire and -the reports of Gordon’s death. If he were reminded -of that, he might not be so sure about the identity of -his assailant.</p> - -<p>“But Gordon is dead, you know—burned to death -in prison,” Nick said quietly.</p> - -<p>“No, no! Don’t you believe it, Carter!” the patient<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span> -insisted. “There’s no mistake about it. I forgot about -all those reports when he struck me; they don’t cut -any ice. I have thought about them since I woke up, -and I’m just as sure as ever that it was Gordon.”</p> - -<p>“What makes you so sure?” inquired Nick.</p> - -<p>“He forgot himself when he cursed me,” was the -reply, “and I thought I recognized the voice; then I -caught a glimpse of his eyes, and I was sure. There’s -only one man with eyes like that—cat’s eyes. They -looked green as he glared at me. He knows I recognized -him, because I said his name just before I got -my knock-out. Probably he thought he had killed me, -for I don’t believe he would have left me to tell the -tale.”</p> - -<p>He paused for a moment, and one hand wandered -weakly to his injured head.</p> - -<p>“I’ll never get over the way I was taken in,” he -went on, more faintly. “Most humiliating. Must say, -he’s a wonder, though. Never imagined anybody could -pull off a stunt like that. The car is an electric—a -coupé, two or three years old, I should say. The gold -was in a couple of suit cases which had been buried -in the ground. Can’t tell you any more, I’m afraid—just -about all in, you see.”</p> - -<p>He looked about helplessly, and in a frightened -sort of way, then, with a sigh, lapsed into unconsciousness -once more.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XL. -<br /> -<small>NICK OUTLINES HIS CAMPAIGN.</small></h2> - - -<p>In a moment Doctor Lord and the nurse were back -at the patient’s side.</p> - -<p>“I must ask you gentlemen to go,” the physician -said crisply. “This has been too much for him, as it -is, and any further excitement might cause serious -complications, if nothing worse.”</p> - -<p>There was nothing for it but to withdraw, and to -hope that the effect of the interview would not be as -serious as the doctor suggested.</p> - -<p>Fortunately, the detective instinct had been strong -in Cray, notwithstanding his condition, and he had -covered the ground pretty thoroughly—surprisingly -so, in view of the few words he had spoken. His statement -about the suit case, and his description of the car -might prove particularly valuable.</p> - -<p>Nick took pains to interview Simpson, his wife, -and the servant before leaving the house and then paid -a visit to the garage.</p> - -<p>He smiled as he noted the subterfuge of the underground -gasoline tank.</p> - -<p>“Quite clever, on the surface,” he remarked, “but -Simpson seems to be a queer mixture. He impresses -you at one time with his cleverness, at another with -stupidity.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I don’t see anything stupid about this,” Griswold -objected. “It strikes me as very ingenious. It permitted -him to dig up the ground to his heart’s content -without arousing suspicion.”</p> - -<p>“True,” conceded the detective. “The ordinary person -would have seen nothing strange about it; but -doesn’t the presence of a gasoline tank underground, -or any other kind, strike you as a little peculiar when -a man owns an electric?”</p> - -<p>The millionaire looked very sheepish. “I’m afraid -I must plead guilty to stupidity as well,” he confessed. -“That didn’t occur to me, and I doubt if it ever -would.”</p> - -<p>The two detectives made a thorough examination -of the little garage, the ground about it, and the pile -of lumber, as well as the road at the rear.</p> - -<p>They found some finger prints, and photographed -them carefully, after bringing out other details by -artificial means. They were inclined to believe that -some of them belonged to Gordon, and if so, their -discovery would prove valuable. Beyond that, however, -they learned little.</p> - -<p>“Well, we had better part company here, Chick,” -Nick told his assistant. “I’m going to let you pick up -the trail of the electric car and follow it, if you can. -See if you can locate the machine. Probably it has -been abandoned long before this, for it would have to -be recharged before it could go very far. Doubtless, -Green Eye remembered that, and deserted it before -such attention was necessary. Still, if you can find -where he dispensed with it, you can get a clew to his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span> -subsequent movements, especially as he was burdened -with a couple of very heavy suit cases.”</p> - -<p>“Consider me on the job,” was Chick’s ready -reply. “I’ll start work right away, and keep going as -long as the going is good. How about you, though? -What are you going to tackle?”</p> - -<p>“I shall return home at once,” Nick replied, “and -go through the safe. I must find out which records are -missing, and when I have learned that, I ought to be -able to catch the rascal sooner or later.”</p> - -<p>“You mean that he’ll be sure to visit some of the -people interested, or write to them, and that you can -nab him in that way?” his assistant asked.</p> - -<p>“That’s the idea. If Green Eye hasn’t learned of -our return—and I sincerely hope he hasn’t—he won’t -lose much time in getting to work at the blackmailing -business, and you may be sure he’ll choose some of the -most tempting of the local people for his first victims.”</p> - -<p>Chick held up his hand. “I get you,” he said. “That’s -just what will happen, unless he’s scared off, and he’ll -work quickly, for fear you may return earlier than -you had expected, and get wind of the whole thing. -Alongside of that, my job seems pretty punk, but -you’re the general.”</p> - -<p>“Your job is a necessary one, and we may need all -the dope on Green Eye’s movements that we can get,” -Nick told him.</p> - -<p>Very shortly afterward they separated, Chick remaining -behind, while Nick and the millionaire reëntered -the car and started back to the city.</p> - -<p>Very little was said on the journey. To be sure,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> -Griswold seemed willing enough to keep the conversational -ball rolling, but he soon found that Nick was -of a different mind. He was glad, therefore, when the -detective’s house was reached, and Nick stepped out -of the machine, after instructing the chauffeur to take -Griswold wherever he wished to go.</p> - -<p>“You think you can catch him, then?” the millionaire -asked in parting.</p> - -<p>Nick gave him a strange look. “If I fail in this, -I’ll shut up shop,” he replied.</p> - -<p>It was said rather lightly, but Griswold was a -shrewd student of character, and knew that famous -Nemesis of criminals was in deadly earnest.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XLI. -<br /> -<small>WAITING FOR A NIBBLE.</small></h2> - - -<p>Nick Carter hardly knew what to do about the members -of his household. They had not yet been informed -of the way in which they had been taken in, and it -was difficult to decide whether they should be or not. -After some reflection, however, the detective decided -to say nothing about it, for the present.</p> - -<p>They accepted his presence as a matter of course, -just as they had done in the case of the impostor, and -if he told them the truth, they would be plunged into -a state bordering on panic.</p> - -<p>Moreover, if Gordon should take a notion to return -to the house, after such a revelation, it would be almost -impossible for the butler, housekeeper, and the -rest to be their natural selves in his presence. If they -betrayed their knowledge, they might scare him off -just when Nick wished him to be most at his ease.</p> - -<p>Nick entered his study, and, after walking up and -down for a few minutes, seated himself in his desk -chair.</p> - -<p>There was a tenseness about his look and every -movement he made. He was like a perfectly trained -athlete, crouched for a start of some record-breaking -dash.</p> - -<p>The famous detective was well acquainted with danger,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> -and to risk his life was an easy matter of everyday -occurrence. He took up the most serious and dangerous -cases without a thought of the possible consequences -to himself. Here, however, was something -different.</p> - -<p>This came nearer home, perhaps, than anything -else had ever done, for, through him the honor and -peace of mind of numbers of persons—conspicuous -targets, all of them—were threatened.</p> - -<p>Too late the detective recognized that his reputation -was not enough to protect his house and his private -safe from violence, and that he had no right to keep -such records there. They should all be in a safe-deposit -vault.</p> - -<p>The reports of his ordinary cases might continue -to be kept in his steel filing cabinets, where they were -available for ready reference, but those concerning -persons of wealth and position—men and women who -were tempting prey, and whose secrets, if revealed in -the newspapers, would cause a widespread sensation—must -be better protected in future.</p> - -<p>That, however, would not help the present situation -which Nick was now forced to face.</p> - -<p>He actually shrank from going over the disarranged -papers which Green Eye had left behind, but -after a little delay he forced himself to open the safe, -empty the remaining pigeonholes, et cetera, and dump -their contents on the desk. That done, he sat himself -down and went to work.</p> - -<p>Fortunately, there was a comparatively small number<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span> -of papers of that description in the safe, therefore -it did not take very long to go through them and -check off those which remained—for the methodical -detective had a list of all of them.</p> - -<p>In this way, by a process of elimination, Nick quickly -learned the ones which had been stolen, and his expression -grew grimmer than ever as he realized the -shrewdness of Gordon’s choice.</p> - -<p>Most of the missing papers concerned individuals -or families in and around New York, which seemed -to imply that a quick clean-up was contemplated. Some -few, though, involved persons farther away, and these -appeared to have been selected because they had offered -particularly tempting bait to the blackmailer.</p> - -<p>It needed only the brief entries in the index to bring -back to Nick’s mind all of the important details of -each case, and he ground his teeth as he pictured the -scoundrel gloating over those same details, and cleverly -scheming to demand the top price for their suppression.</p> - -<p>“What a haul!” he murmured aloud. “All those -papers, and seventy-five or eighty thousand in gold, -to boot! If it’s really Ernest Gordon with whom we -have to deal—and I’m morally certain it is—he must -be drunk with joy, for he has made blackmailing an -art, and he could not ask anything bigger or more -promising of that sort. In his calmer moments, -though, he must realize that he won’t have the chance -to hold up many of these people.</p> - -<p>“Doesn’t he know that the first man he approaches<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span> -will in all probability come running to me to demand -an explanation, if nothing more? And hasn’t it occurred -to him that I would receive an urgent summons -home under such circumstances? Well, if it has, he’ll -see all the more reason for striking while the iron is -hot.”</p> - -<p>He had put the papers away temporarily, intending -to find a safer place for them at the earliest opportunity, -when the butler entered the study with a telegram. -It proved to be from the warden at Clinton -prison, and was a long one—sent “collect,” of course.</p> - -<p>It contained certain new and significant, though -minor, details concerning the supposed death of Green-eye -Gordon, and the escape of the yegg from Buffalo, -which served to confirm Nick’s suspicions, but -the most striking thing about the message was the -tone of it. It gave the impression that the warden -had been doubtful, or was doubtful now concerning -the identity of the man who had been burned. He did -not say so, of course, but Nick could read doubt between -the lines.</p> - -<p>Obviously, the identification had been a very careless -one, or else the prison authorities had deliberately -winked at the misleading statement which had found -their way into the newspapers. Very likely they took -it for granted at first that the partially burned body -was that of Gordon, and afterward preferred to hush -the thing up rather than let it be known that there was -any reason to believe that the redoubtable Green Eye -had escaped.</p> - -<p>“Well, that settles it, I think, for all practical<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> -purposes,” the detective told himself. “Cray’s identification -was a very hasty one, made under very unfavorable -circumstances, but when it’s taken in connection -with this transparent telegram, and especially in -connection with the nature, daring, and adroitness of -the crime itself, it seems safe enough to conclude that -Ernest Gordon is the man I must look for—and find.”</p> - -<p>Which would be the best course, though? To warn -those who might be expected to be approached by the -criminal, or to wait until they came to the detective?</p> - -<p>After some thought, Nick decided on the latter -course. Naturally, he did not wish that every one -concerned should know what had happened, for that -seemed unnecessary. He believed that Gordon would -concentrate on a few intended victims at first, and if -the detective could discover who those persons were, -he ought to be able to trap the rascal without allowing -the others to know what had threatened them.</p> - -<p>It was his confident belief that practically every -one who might be visited or written to by the blackmailer -would try to get in touch with him—Nick -Carter—at once. That made him willing to play this -waiting game—at least, for a time.</p> - -<p>“The first one who communicates with me,” he -thought, “should give me a line on the fellow’s methods -and plans. No one is likely to yield to his demands -on the spot, and if I can learn of a proposed -rendezvous or two, the rest should be fairly plain -sailing—unless the scoundrel learns of my return and -plays dead for a while.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span></p> - -<p>He had reached this point in his musings when he -heard a furious ring at the doorbell.</p> - -<p>“Possibly that’s the first of the victims now,” he -thought. “If it is, I must prepare myself for some -more or less well-grounded reproaches. I can stand -them, though, if in addition I’m put on the track of -the man I want to lay my hands on more than I ever -wanted to lay them on any one else.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XLII. -<br /> -<small>THE FIRST VICTIM.</small></h2> - - -<p>Shortly afterward the butler knocked at the study -door and opened it.</p> - -<p>“Mr. Chester J. Gillespie to see you, sir,” he announced.</p> - -<p>Before Nick could reply, or the butler could get out -of the way, for that matter, the young man named -pushed into the room, his face pale with agitation.</p> - -<p>“You must help me, Mr. Carter!” he cried excitedly. -“I——”</p> - -<p>He paused as Nick motioned the butler to withdraw -and close the door. When the servant had complied, -Nick said quietly:</p> - -<p>“Sit down, Mr. Gillespie. I’m very sorry to learn -that some one has attempted to blackmail you, but -there’s no necessity for such great haste.”</p> - -<p>His caller had started to take a chair, but paused -with his hand on the back of it, and stared at Nick -in the greatest amazement. Presently, a spot of angry -red appeared in each pale cheek, and his rather -weak jaw thrust out aggressively.</p> - -<p>“By Heaven!” he breathed. “I believe you are in -league with the fellow. I’ll swear I do! How otherwise -could you know that——”</p> - -<p>“That will be about enough of that, Gillespie!” the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span> -detective said sternly. He had heard too many such -accusations in the last few hours. “If you have come -to me for help, as your rather abrupt opening words -would seem to indicate, let me warn you that you -are not furthering your case by insulting me.”</p> - -<p>“I—I beg your pardon, Mr. Carter,” the bewildered -young man stammered. “I didn’t mean it, of -course, but you are positively uncanny, and I could -not understand how——”</p> - -<p>“It’s very simple, though,” Nick told him. “I’ve -been robbed of some papers, unfortunately, and those -dealing with your case are among them. Naturally, -therefore, when you rushed in in that fashion, I concluded -that the thief had tried to bleed you.”</p> - -<p>“Oh! So that was it?” Gillespie murmured somewhat -sheepishly. Again his anger and sense of injury -got the upper hand. “Then it’s you I have to thank -for this, after all!” he cried. “I supposed my secret -safe with you, as safe as if it were buried with me. -Now, you calmly announce that it has been stolen -from you. This is too much, Carter! Can’t you keep -your papers where they will be safe? What right have -you got to preserve such records, anyway? Why don’t -you destroy them for the sake of your clients? It’s -unbearable! This will be the ruin of me! If Florence -finds out about it, she will refuse to marry me, -and——”</p> - -<p>The detective held up his hand commandingly, and -the young man—he did not appear to be over twenty-five—lapsed -into silence.</p> - -<p>“I have already told you, Gillespie, that I profoundly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> -regret what has happened. You are forgetting -yourself, though, and wasting time. I already know -who made away with those papers, and, with your assistance, -I hope to lay a trap for him that will bring -his schemes to an end very quickly. I think I can promise -you that there will be no publicity, and that nothing -need interfere with your approaching marriage. -Now, tell me precisely what has happened.”</p> - -<p>Young Gillespie was several times a millionaire, -having inherited a large fortune from his father a -year or two before. The responsibility thus imposed -upon him had sobered him down in a remarkable manner, -and he was looked upon in certain quarters as -one of the coming leaders in the financial world. Before -his father’s death, however, he had sown a lot -of wild oats of one sort or another, and it was in connection -with one of these youthful escapades that Nick -had been called in about four years previously.</p> - -<p>The affair threatened to be very serious, for the -time, but the detective’s skill had been brought to bear -in a surprising manner, with the result that everything -had been smoothed out as well as possible without -the vaguest rumor having got abroad.</p> - -<p>The young man fumbled in his pocket with a gloved -hand, and produced a sheet of notepaper, the top of -which had obviously been cut away.</p> - -<p>“That was found under the door when the house -was opened up this morning,” he said. “Here’s the -envelope. It was not stamped, of course.”</p> - -<p>Nick smoothed out the sheet of paper and looked<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> -at the sprawling, uncertain writing that covered it. He -read:</p> - -<p>“I know all about the affair of four years ago. My -price for silence is one hundred thousand dollars. -Have it ready when I call, or pay it to any one who may -present an order from me. Don’t think you can stop -this by trying to have me arrested. You will fail, and -the whole story will come out. I have fully arranged -for its publication, no matter what happens to me. -The money is the only thing that will buy my silence. -Pay it, and your secret is safe. What is more, you -will never hear from me again. Refuse to pay it, -and—ruin!”</p> - -<p>It was a bold letter, but Nick saw that it was nothing -but a bluff. He said as much.</p> - -<p>“I hope you haven’t been deceived by this,” he -remarked, tapping the sheet. “This fellow is working -alone, you may be sure, and, therefore, it isn’t at all -likely that he has ‘arranged’ anything of the sort in -case he should be arrested. By this, as you ought to -know, the newspapers would not publish a story about -you without warning. You have too much money and -too many friends. You would have an opportunity to -bring your influence to bear, and the story would be -killed.”</p> - -<p>“That sounds plausible enough,” Gillespie admitted. -“That’s what I would tell any one else in my position, -if he were similarly threatened. When this sort of -thing comes home to a fellow, though, it makes a lot -of difference.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I know,” the detective replied, with a nod. “That’s -the sort of mood such a scoundrel counts on.”</p> - -<p>He paused and thoughtfully fingered the letter.</p> - -<p>“I must confess that this is a disappointment,” he -resumed slowly. “I had hoped that the blackmailer -would set a definite time for his call, or ask you to -take the money to some specified place. This, however, -avoids anything of that sort, and leaves me nothing -definite to go on. All it tells us is that he expects to -call at some unnamed hour—perhaps to-day, perhaps -to-morrow, perhaps not for several days. I think we -need not bother about the hint that he may send some -one with a written order, for if such a person presented -himself, I feel sure it would be the blackmailer, -and no other. This absence of details, however, -makes it rather difficult to know just what to do.”</p> - -<p>“How would this do?” Gillespie said hesitatingly. -“You are a genius at make-up. Why don’t you pass -yourself off for me? Go to my place on Fifth Avenue -and wait for this fellow, whoever he is, to call? The -chances are that he won’t put it off very long, and -even if you had to remain there a couple of days, you -would not mind, would you, if you could nab your -man at the end of your wait?”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XLIII. -<br /> -<small>AN ASTOUNDING RUSE.</small></h2> - - -<p>Gillespie went on more confidently: “It ought to -give him the shock of his life to think he’s dealing -merely with me, and then to have you reveal yourself -to him. Of course, we could both stay there, and you -could walk in and collar him while he was holding -me up, but I’m afraid he may be watching the house. -In that case, he would be suspicious if he saw any one -else going in and not coming out again, no matter -whether he recognized you or not.”</p> - -<p>Nick smiled slightly. “You must have been reading -detective stories lately, Gillespie,” he commented. -“However, it isn’t a bad idea, and I’m inclined to try -it. There are certain other advantages about it which -make it appeal to me. How about you, though? You -would have to remain here as long as I found it necessary -to stay at your place.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, that’s all right. I don’t mind. I’ll promise -to keep out of sight, and if I have to stay overnight, I -suppose I can find a bunk somewhere, if you’ll explain -my presence to your servants.”</p> - -<p>“You certainly can,” Nick assured him; “and let’s -hope that you won’t have to kick your heels here very -long.”</p> - -<p>The detective conducted him into another room,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span> -and, seating him in the light, proceeded to busy himself -with his make-up materials and appliances. At -the end of half an hour, the transformation was complete.</p> - -<p>“Will this do?” asked Nick, turning from the glass -and facing his visitor.</p> - -<p>“By Jove, marvelous!” Gillespie cried enthusiastically. -“By the time you’ve got into my clothes, you’ll -be able to pass for me anywhere. Luckily, there’s only -my old butler, Simms, and his wife, at the house, as -I’ve been abroad, and was not expected home as yet. -The chauffeur outside is a new man, and has never -seen me before.”</p> - -<p>“Good!” Nick answered. “Now for the clothes.”</p> - -<p>Soon the disguise was complete, and after another -careful inspection of himself, Nick was ready to leave.</p> - -<p>“I’ll explain matters to my people here as I go out,” -he said. “Come this way and I’ll show you the room -you may occupy in my absence. I hope you’ll find it -comfortable. Don’t hesitate to ask for anything you -want, and I’ll let you know as soon as there’s anything -to report.”</p> - -<p>After conducting his guest to one of the spare bedrooms, -the detective parted with Gillespie, and ascended -the stairs. Five minutes later he stepped into -the waiting car as if he owned it.</p> - -<p>“Home!” he ordered, and the machine whirled away -in the direction of upper Fifth Avenue.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile, from behind one of the curtains at the -front of the detective’s house, the young man had seen -the car drive off, and as it passed out of sight, a remarkable<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> -change came over him. He threw back his -head and laughed in a curiously noiseless way that -many an ex-convict has.</p> - -<p>He laughed until the tears rolled down his cheeks, -and at last flung himself into a chair and fairly panted -for breath. At length, he recovered himself and wiped -his eyes. Simultaneously, his face took on harsher -lines.</p> - -<p>The fresh complexion of youth seemed singularly -out of place now, for age and experience—and evil—peered -through the veneer.</p> - -<p>Had there ever been any doubt about Green-eye -Gordon’s daring, there could be none any longer, for -this was the criminal himself.</p> - -<p>In some manner best known to himself, he had -managed to learn of Nick’s return, and had taken this -extraordinary means of fooling the detective—an example -of supreme audacity, in which he was manifestly -taking the greatest delight.</p> - -<p>He expected to kill more than two birds with the -one stone.</p> - -<p>“Oh, what a sell!” he thought. “How are the mighty -fallen! You don’t happen to know, my dear Carter, -that the real Chester Gillespie is still abroad, and that -while you are waiting for your bird in that gloomy -old mansion across from the park, your enterprising -little friend Ernest will be tapping the various other -sources of income as rapidly as he can.”</p> - -<p>Nevertheless, when the first flush of triumph had -passed, there seemed to be an undercurrent of uneasiness -in the scoundrel’s mood and manner. Doubtless,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span> -he knew that in boldness lay his only hope, but perhaps -he allowed himself to fear for the time being, -that even boldness would be insufficient in the long run -against such an antagonist.</p> - -<p>Apparently, the great detective had been completely -taken in by this latest astounding ruse, but very likely -Gordon realized that he was in the lion’s mouth, and -that there was no knowing when the jaws might close -with a snap.</p> - -<p>Some time after Green Eye returned to Nick’s study, -the door opened, and Chick entered. He did not look -any too well satisfied with his work thus far.</p> - -<p>“I beg your pardon,” he said, halting at sight of -the supposed Gillespie. “I didn’t know any one was -here. Are you alone?”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” Gordon answered coolly. “Mr. Carter has -gone out. I think he left word for you with the butler, -but I might as well explain that he’s absent on an -errand for me, and that I’m to remain in more or less -close confinement here until he returns.”</p> - -<p>And in response to a look of surprise on Chick’s -face, he explained a little further: “If you wish to -call him up——”</p> - -<p>“No, not now,” Nick’s assistant interrupted quietly. -“I have nothing to report as yet.”</p> - -<p>That was good news to Gordon, for he felt sure -that Chick had been trying to pick up some clew to -the whereabouts of the electric car, and if so, it was -plain that he had failed to make any headway.</p> - -<p>“Well, I’ll leave you in possession here and go into -the room Mr. Carter placed at my command,” Green<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span> -Eye remarked easily, rising to his feet and helping -himself to another of Nick’s cigars. “If there’s no -objection, I shall appropriate some writing materials.”</p> - -<p>Chick supplied him with paper, envelopes, et cetera, -and assured him that the study was his to use if he -wished, but the visitor would not consent to “be in the -way.” Three minutes later, he was in the bedroom, -with the door closed.</p> - -<p>Quickly he removed the tapestry cover and droplight -from the small table between the windows, and, -drawing up a chair, set to work.</p> - -<p>It was clear that his desire to write some letters -was genuine enough, and the fact that he cut the engraved -headings from several sheets of paper suggested -that the privacy of the room was welcome.</p> - -<p>At the end of an hour he was still writing, and beside -him were several sealed and stamped envelopes -addressed to a number of well-known names. The -campaign was going forward.</p> - -<p>“I shall have to find some means of getting rid of -this man Chick Carter, though,” Green Eye told himself, -as he finished one of the letters and leaned back -in a chair. “These fellows I have written to will come -flocking here before long, and I must be Nick Carter -again, in order to receive them properly.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XLIV. -<br /> -<small>NICK’S SUSPICIONS CONFIRMED.</small></h2> - - -<p>If the criminal could have read Nick Carter’s mind -about that time, he would have been still more uneasy—and -with good reason.</p> - -<p>Ernest Gordon had not been the only one who had -played a part during the interview which had ended -in the detective’s act of copying his caller’s features, -and borrowing his clothes.</p> - -<p>For the first few minutes, it must be confessed that -the detective was completely deceived. He knew Green -Eye to be a master of surprises, but it had not occurred -to him to suspect that the clever rascal would -resort to anything so spectacular.</p> - -<p>Besides, Gordon had placed himself so that the light -did not fall strongly.</p> - -<p>It was not until the caller suggested a change of -identities that the detective began to question. It was -very seldom that a client presumed to offer such assistance, -and Nick’s knowledge of Chester Gillespie -had not prepared him for such a proposition. He gave -no evidence, however, that the seed of suspicion had -been planted, but fell in with the suggestion, knowing -that in carrying it out, he would have the best possible -opportunity of studying his visitor.</p> - -<p>He noted a slight hesitation on the latter’s part<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span> -when he had asked him to take his place in the brightest -light obtainable, and the subsequent scrutiny had -soon confirmed his suspicions. “Gillespie” was plainly -Ernest Gordon.</p> - -<p>No make-up could have stood that test—at least, -with Nick Carter at the observer’s end.</p> - -<p>“What fools the cleverest of us are sometimes!” -the detective thought, with an inward chuckle. “Gordon -has such a good opinion of himself, and is so -certain that a man needs only to be daring enough -in order to carry everything before him, that he’s actually -willing to undergo this sort of thing—and he -thinks he’s getting away with it!”</p> - -<p>It was no part of the detective’s plan, however, to -reveal his knowledge of the deception. He wished to -give the masquerader as much rope as he could, in -order to find out just what Gordon was trying to do. -Moreover, he was curious to visit Gillespie’s house and -find out how Green Eye had succeeded in making himself -at home there.</p> - -<p>Gillespie might have been overpowered and stowed -away somewhere, or even murdered—though that was -unlikely, unless the crime had been committed owing -to an accident or miscalculation on Gordon’s part.</p> - -<p>When the detective reached Gillespie’s house on -Fifth Avenue, he found the situation just as Gordon -had described it. An aged butler answered the bell, -and, save for him, the big house seemed deserted.</p> - -<p>Nick was about to question the old man in a roundabout -way in order to discover, if possible, whether<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span> -there had been anything which might seem suspicious -or not. Before he could do so, however, the butler offered -a couple of letters on a salver.</p> - -<p>Nick took them after a second’s hesitation, studying -the butler’s face as he did so. From the man’s -squint and the lines about the eyes, he saw that the -butler was nearsighted. Probably he had been in the -family for a long time, but this defect in his eyesight -explained his failure to detect the deception.</p> - -<p>But where was the real Chester J. Gillespie, whose -second double was now entering his house, and calmly -inspecting his letters?</p> - -<p>Gordon had given Nick certain necessary particulars -concerning the arrangement of the house, and, -thanks to these, the detective mounted the stairs with -the utmost assurance, leaving the nearsighted old butler -bowing in the lower hall.</p> - -<p>He found his way to Gillespie’s private room easily -enough, the letters still in his hand. After looking -about him curiously, and noting the certain evidences -of recent occupancy, he sat down and glanced mechanically -at the letters.</p> - -<p>One of them obviously was a business communication, -but the other was not.</p> - -<p>The envelope was unusually large, and of the finest -texture. As for the writing, it was big, heavy, and -sprawling.</p> - -<p>In the lower left-hand corner were the words, “Important—please -forward,” and they were heavily underscored.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span></p> - -<p>All is fair in love and war, they say, and if that -is so, all is fair in detection as well, especially when -the detective is trying to safeguard the man whose -identity he has temporarily appropriated.</p> - -<p>Under the circumstances, therefore, Nick felt justified -in opening any of Gillespie’s correspondence that -seemed to promise a solution of the mystery, just as -he would have ransacked the house for a similar clew.</p> - -<p>There might be nothing in it, of course, but this -letter appeared to be somewhat out of the ordinary, -and might be valuable.</p> - -<p>Consequently, after a little hesitation, Nick ripped -the envelope open without the slightest attempt at -concealment, and drew the inclosure out. Soon he -was very glad that he had done so, for the letter read -as follows:</p> - -<div class="blockquot"> -<p>“<span class="smcap">Dear Old Lunatic</span>: You do not seem to have -improved in the matter of memory or level-headedness. -You write me from some unpronounceable place -in South America—I judge solely from the postmark—and -do not tell me where to find you. How the dickens -can I join you down there for a month’s shooting, -if you do not give me more particulars? I know you -too well, you see, to imagine for a moment that you -stayed more than a day or two at the place from which -you wrote. That was nearly two weeks ago, and by -this time you may be thousands of miles away from -there.</p> - -<p>“Your letter was forwarded to me up here in Maine, -and the best thing I can think of doing is to send this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span> -to your New York address, in the hope that it will -be forwarded to you with as little delay as possible.”</p> -</div> - -<p>There was a little more of it, but the rest does not -matter. It was signed by a well-known young man -about town.</p> - -<p>So that was it, was it? The only original Chester -Gillespie was still down in South America, and only -about two weeks before had written to a New York -friend, inviting him down for a month’s shooting. -That argued that he did not expect to return for many -weeks. In some manner, Gordon must have learned -that interesting fact, and, seemingly, had disguised -himself as Gillespie, with the aid of a photograph or -photographs of that young man.</p> - -<p>So much for the way the trick had been sprung. -For the rest, there was no doubt in Nick’s mind as to -Green Eye’s further intention. The criminal had -learned of the detective’s return, and had guessed what -Nick’s plan of campaign would be.</p> - -<p>In other words, he had concluded that Nick had -the index of the records in the safe, and could easily -find out which ones were missing. Knowing by that -means where danger threatened, Nick could set a trap -for the blackmailer, with the help of one or more of -the latter’s prospective victims.</p> - -<p>“He knew just about what to expect,” the detective -mused, “and when he found that Gillespie was out of -the country, having left only a couple of old people -in charge of the house, he hit upon this scheme of circumventing -me. If he’s left alone, he’ll find some<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> -means of sending Chick off on a wild-goose chase, or -otherwise dispose of him, and then he’ll impersonate -me once more, and in that disguise he’ll probably advise -his victims to pay the sums demanded.</p> - -<p>“Oh, it’s a pretty smooth scheme—one of the -smoothest anybody ever thought out! I’m afraid, however, -that he’s inclined to underrate my intelligence, -and to overrate his own ability.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XLV. -<br /> -<small>COMPARING NOTES.</small></h2> - - -<p>It was not until dusk that Nick Carter left the Gillespie -house, and when he did so, it was on foot. He -had not gone more than a block or so, however, before -he hailed a passing taxi, and ordered the chauffeur -to drive to a certain corner of Madison Avenue. -The corner named was only a block from his own -house.</p> - -<p>Some hours had passed since Nick had read the letter -which revealed the whereabouts of the real Chester -J. Gillespie, but he had been in no hurry to act. For -one thing, he wished to give the scoundrel a sense of -security in this new and climax-capping adventure.</p> - -<p>Nick was still disguised as Gillespie, but he was -wearing a golf cap, which he had pulled down over -his eyes, and a light overcoat, with upturned collar. -His purpose was to get in touch with his assistant in -one way or another, and his only anxiety concerned -the possibility that Gordon had already got rid of -Chick.</p> - -<p>Fortunately, that was not the case, and, after a wait -of no more than half or three-quarters of an hour, -the young detective left the house, and unconsciously -approached his chief, who was lounging at the corner.</p> - -<p>As he passed Nick, the latter said quietly: “Go -around the corner and wait for me.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span></p> - -<p>Chick stiffened slightly at the well-known voice, -but that was the only sign of surprise he gave. With a -grunt and a nod, he turned about at right angles into -the side street, and along this Nick presently followed -him.</p> - -<p>A short distance beyond the corner, well out of sight -from Nick’s house, Chick paused, and there his chief -overtook him.</p> - -<p>“I haven’t made any headway yet,” Chick announced, -without any preliminaries. “I located the -car late this afternoon, but there I came to a dead -stop.”</p> - -<p>“Never mind about that,” Nick said quickly. “It -doesn’t matter in the least. I can lay my hands on -Green-eye Gordon at any moment.”</p> - -<p>“The deuce you can!” ejaculated Chick. “Then I -should certainly say you don’t need me—for the sort -of legwork I’ve been doing to-day, at any rate.”</p> - -<p>“What about my double, though?” Nick put in -swiftly, without giving Chick time to ask any questions. -“Is he still at the house, and if so, what has he -been doing?”</p> - -<p>“He’s there, all right. He’s been writing letters -in the bedroom. He declined to use the study.”</p> - -<p>“Ah!” Nick murmured, in a peculiar tone. “Letters, -eh? Has he mailed them?”</p> - -<p>“No. I offered to do it for him a little while ago, -but he said he would be going out himself later on.”</p> - -<p>Nick thought over this information for a minute or -two, while his assistant watched him questioningly.</p> - -<p>“Did you happen to see any of the letters?” Nick<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span> -inquired at length, rousing himself from his abstraction. -“I mean, could you tell whether they were -stamped or not?”</p> - -<p>His assistant nodded. “I got a squint at a little -pile of them,” he admitted. “The top one was -stamped, but I could not say as to the rest.”</p> - -<p>This required further thought on Nick’s part. He -was tempted, of course, to end matters then and there, -before those letters could reach their destination, and -cause the consternation they were certain to create. -On the other hand, he felt it necessary to give Gordon -a little more leeway, and in order to do that, it seemed -essential that the letters be mailed.</p> - -<p>He had searched Gillespie’s private rooms, on the -theory that Green Eye might have left the stolen papers -there, but he had found nothing of the sort. Yet, -it was imperative that these papers be recovered, if -possible, at the same time the rascal was captured.</p> - -<p>Unless that were done, the precious records might -not be returned at all, for certainly Gordon could not -be counted on to restore them voluntarily.</p> - -<p>To be sure, the fact that he had been writing those -letters—doubtless, blackmailing ones—under Nick’s -own roof, suggested that he had the documents there to -refer to. That, however, was by no means certain, for -he might have put the records in some remote place, -perhaps a safe-deposit vault, after making a list of -the names and addresses desired.</p> - -<p>Therefore, it seemed wise to give the fellow his -head, for the time, and meanwhile to keep him under -observation, in the hope that his movements would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span> -give some hint as to his possession or nonpossession -of Nick’s papers.</p> - -<p>The detective was about to explain this to his assistant -when the latter broke in excitedly.</p> - -<p>“For the love of Pete! What’s up?” he demanded. -“What are you cooking up in that brain of yours, and -why are you so curious about Gillespie’s doings?”</p> - -<p>“Gillespie is down in South America,” Nick returned -quietly. “That’s why. Our friend back there -in the house is—well, you can guess, I imagine.”</p> - -<p>And then he proceeded to give his instructions to -the dumfounded Chick.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XLVI. -<br /> -<small>GORDON’S LETTERS REACH THEIR MARK.</small></h2> - - -<p>Ex-Senator William Deane Phelps smiled complacently -as he stood before a glass in his dressing -room.</p> - -<p>He was a tall man, and the sixty years that had -passed over his head had left him his rather slim and -upright figure. His hair was white, but abundant, and -on the whole, he had good reason to consider himself -a handsome and well-preserved man.</p> - -<p>“Is there anything else, sir?” his valet asked respectfully.</p> - -<p>“No,” the ex-senator answered. “It’s probable that -I shall be very late, so you need not wait up.”</p> - -<p>“Thank you, sir. Shall I ring for your car?”</p> - -<p>“No, no! A taxi will do.”</p> - -<p>Possibly the ghost of a smile curved the lips of the -valet, but if so, it was quickly gone. If his employer -chose to keep his movements secret, that was his employer’s -business.</p> - -<p>Ex-Senator Phelps took the light coat and silk hat -that were handed to him, and strolled toward the door. -He was a single man, but his position in the world had -made it necessary for him to keep up a rather pretentious -establishment.</p> - -<p>He stood in the doorway holding a cigar as the taxi<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span> -drove up, but at that moment his valet, who had followed -him as if to close the door, spoke up in a surprised -tone.</p> - -<p>“I beg your pardon, sir,” he said, “but this was lying -on the floor. You stepped over it just now without -knowing it. It’s addressed to you, and marked ‘Urgent.’ -It’s stamped, but not postmarked—looks as -if it had been slipped under the door instead.”</p> - -<p>Ex-Senator Phelps took the envelope with a careless -air, and no premonition chilled him as he stepped -back into the light of the hall and tore it open. As he -glanced at the single sheet of paper, however, his face -turned ghastly, and he reeled against a small statue -that stood on a pedestal, throwing it to the floor and -breaking it.</p> - -<p>“After all these years!” he muttered hoarsely to -himself. Then his eyes fell upon the amazed face of -his valet, and, as he crushed the letter in his hand, he -made a great effort to pull himself together. “I—I -shall not be going out, after all,” he said, in a curiously -dead voice. “I’m not—feeling well.”</p> - -<p>Every year of the sixty seemed to weigh heavily -upon the ex-senator as he pushed open the door of the -room on the left. His feet dragged across the thick -carpet so that he stumbled, and when he dropped into -a chair, buried his face in his hands.</p> - -<p class="asterism">* * * * *</p> - -<p>The Forty-second Street Theater had been famous -for years as the home of light comedy of the more brilliant -sort.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span></p> - -<p>That night was to witness a new production, for -which great things were expected—for had the play -not been written by one of America’s cleverest and -most experienced playwrights, and staged by a production -wizard? And was not the star Harold Lumsden?</p> - -<p>Already the cheaper parts of the house were packed, -and the orchestra was filling up. Here and there a pair -of white shoulders gleamed in one of the boxes which -would soon be filled—for it was a foregone conclusion -that the S.R.O. sign would have to be displayed in -the lobby that night.</p> - -<p>Harold Lumsden himself was peering through a -peephole in the curtain at that moment, idly surveying -the nucleus of what he knew would prove to be an unusually -brilliant first-night audience. For years he had -enjoyed great prestige, and this was to be his first appearance -following a successful invasion of London, -which had added greatly to his laurels.</p> - -<p>“This is going to be some night, Harold!” his manager -remarked impressively, coming up from behind -and putting his hand on the star’s shoulder. “Dressed -early, didn’t you?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, I felt restless,” was the reply. “Hanged if I -know why. This sort of thing ought to be an old story -to me by this time, if it’s ever going to be.”</p> - -<p>As he turned about to face the portly manager, he -noticed an envelope in the latter’s hand. Knowing the -manager’s absent-mindedness, he inquired:</p> - -<p>“That letter isn’t for me, is it?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Why, yes, it is,” was the reply. “I had forgotten -it for a moment. It’s marked ‘Urgent,’ but I suppose -it’s only from some friend of yours—or, more -likely, some friend of a friend—who aspires to the -deadhead class.”</p> - -<p>“Probably,” Harold Lumsden agreed, as he glanced -at the handwriting for a moment, and then ripped the -envelope open. “We haven’t needed to ‘paper’ our -houses for the last few seasons, have we, old man? -What’s this! Great heavens!”</p> - -<p>The distinguished actor clutched at one of the wings -for support, and the letter fluttered to the ground. -The manager stooped to pick it up, but with an oath -the star forestalled him, seizing the letter hastily and -thrusting it into his pocket.</p> - -<p>“Bad news?” the manager asked anxiously.</p> - -<p>“A rather disagreeable surprise,” Lumsden managed -to say, making a strenuous attempt to control -himself. “It’s nothing you know anything about, you -know, and I’ll be all right, never fear.”</p> - -<p>Harold Lumsden played the part that night, for -there was nothing else to do, and the traditions of his -profession demand that an actor or actress should always -appear, unless ill in bed, no matter what news -may have been received, or what tragedy may have -been left at home.</p> - -<p>But some idea of the sort of performance the famous -star gave on that memorable occasion might have -been gathered from the newspaper comments the following -morning, for all the critics seemed to agree<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span> -that Lumsden was far from himself, and that his conception -of the part was strangely heavy and lifeless.</p> - -<p>Such was the effect of Green-eye Gordon’s second -demand. There were other letters—several of them, -in fact—but we need not trace their influence here.</p> - -<p>There was no doubt that the blackmailer had struck -some stunning blows, expecting that gold would flow -from the wounds thus inflicted.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XLVII. -<br /> -<small>THE BLACKMAILER ADVISES HIS VICTIM.</small></h2> - - -<p>Ernest Gordon was inclined to consider the world -a pretty good place, as he finished his breakfast in -Nick Carter’s dining room the following morning. -Everything had gone very well, thus far, and he -seemed to have reason for self-congratulation.</p> - -<p>He had peddled the letters around himself the night -before, thus saving time, and making it more difficult -to trace them, as he believed. He did not know that -he had been shadowed throughout by Chick, who -thereby knew just what victims the blackmailer had -chosen for his first broadside.</p> - -<p>Later he had returned to the detective’s house, and -so had Chick; then there had come a telephone message -to the latter from Nick sending the young detective -out of town for at least twenty-four, if not forty-eight, -hours.</p> - -<p>That unexpected turn of affairs had caused Gordon -great satisfaction when Chick gloomily confided the -news to him.</p> - -<p>“The chief seems to think that fellow Gordon has -doubled back, and is hiding not far from New Pelham,” -the assistant informed “Gillespie.” “He still -hopes he’ll turn up at your place, and is going to wait -there all of to-morrow, if not longer, but he wants me -to get busy, and see if I can locate Gordon independently.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span> -It seems unnecessary to me, but what he says -goes. The worst of it is, though, I’ve got my orders -to pull up stakes at once.”</p> - -<p>Of course, Gordon did not know that this was all -a put-up job. Nick, by seeming to play into the rascal’s -hands, had worked out this scheme, in order to get -Chick out of the way, so that Gordon would not feel -compelled to take strong measures to accomplish the -same object.</p> - -<p>As a result, Green Eye had slept alone at Nick’s -house that night—except for the servants—and now, -after a good breakfast, looked forward to a day of -undisturbed peace and freedom to do whatever circumstances -might require.</p> - -<p>First, however, it was necessary for him to absent -himself temporarily, in order to make up as Nick once -more. Therefore, he made a flying trip to One Hundred -and Twenty-fifth Street, and there disguised himself, -returning as fast as the taxi could carry him.</p> - -<p>When he reëntered the detective’s residence, it was -in the character of the owner.</p> - -<p>“Has any one called up or been to see me?” he asked -the butler.</p> - -<p>“No, sir,” was the reply, a welcome one to the -scoundrel, for it meant that none of his victims had -yet sought the detective.</p> - -<p>He did not have long to wait, however, for hardly -more than half an hour later the butler entered the -study, and presented a card, which bore the name of -ex-Senator William Deane Phelps.</p> - -<p>“Show him up,” the supposed detective said.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span></p> - -<p>The butler turned on his heel to obey, and if Green-eye -Gordon grinned behind his back, his face was -serious enough in expression as the ex-senator nervously -entered and closed the door behind him.</p> - -<p>In the few hours that had passed since he had received -the threatening letter, a great change had come -over this man, whose name was known from one end -of the country to the other. It was plain that he had -not slept, and there were heavy, loose bags of skin under -his eyes. His face was almost gray in hue.</p> - -<p>“I feared that you would feel compelled to come -here before long, senator,” the impostor said gravely.</p> - -<p>“Then you know?” his visitor asked, in surprise.</p> - -<p>“Yes,” Gordon answered. “Some one knows the -facts in regard to—well, we need not go into the case—and -is attempting to blackmail you.”</p> - -<p>Phelps sank into a chair and drew a sheet of paper -from his pocket.</p> - -<p>“The infernal scoundrel demands one hundred and -fifty thousand—no less!” he said hoarsely. “It isn’t so -much the money, but I—I naturally assumed that you -alone held my secret.”</p> - -<p>Green Eye rose to his feet, and his face was very -solemn.</p> - -<p>“Until a short time ago that was the case,” he answered, -and crossed to the safe. “The records were -here, and you will see that it has been burgled. If it’s -any comfort to you, though, I’ll tell you that you are -not the only one who will suffer.”</p> - -<p>“I care nothing about that,” Phelps said angrily. -“It’s my own plight that interests me to the exclusion<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span> -of everything else. Do you wonder? This is terrible, -Carter, terrible! I thought I could trust you, and now, -after all this time, I find that I’ve been living in a -fool’s paradise.”</p> - -<p>The criminal interrupted him with a dignified gesture.</p> - -<p>“I don’t think I deserve that, senator,” he said quietly. -“Nicholas Carter has never yet betrayed a secret. -Much as I regret this unfortunate occurrence, however, -I don’t see how I can be held responsible for it. -I didn’t rob my own safe, and certainly I wouldn’t -have chosen to have it robbed, if I could have helped -it.”</p> - -<p>“That’s neither here nor there!” declared the ex-senator. -“Why didn’t you destroy the records?”</p> - -<p>“Do you expect me to destroy my stock in trade, or -burn up the reference books I have had occasion to -consult countless times?”</p> - -<p>“I hadn’t thought of it in that light,” Phelps confessed. -“Even that doesn’t make it any easier to bear, -however. What can I do?”</p> - -<p>“I’m sorry to say that I see nothing for you to do, -except to pay,” Green Eye answered, fingering the -letter which had been handed him.</p> - -<p>Phelps looked at him in amazement. “<em>You</em> actually -give me that advice!” he murmured.</p> - -<p>Green Eye nodded. “I know I’m disappointing you,” -he said, “but that’s the best advice I can give under -the circumstances. It may sound strange, but we must -face the facts. I know perfectly well who is at the -bottom of this, and I have to confess that he’s one of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span> -the shrewdest men who ever defied the law. He’s -amazingly daring, senator, and you may be sure he -means exactly what he says. He’ll drag this whole -unsavory business into the light, if you don’t stop his -mouth with gold, and stop it without delay.”</p> - -<p>“But aren’t you going to——”</p> - -<p>“Of course, I’m going to do everything I can to -catch him, senator,” the criminal interrupted, in a -tone which seemed to imply that that was a matter of -course. “If possible, I shall try to trap him just after -you have met his demands, and while he has the money -on his person. I cannot promise, however, to catch -him to-day, or this week, and, knowing his methods -as well as I do, I know that you can’t afford to risk -any delay. The chances are, of course, that I can -make him disgorge, and that you’ll get your money -back, but the important thing is to play safe, isn’t it?”</p> - -<p>Ex-Senator Phelps nodded slowly and hopelessly.</p> - -<p>“I suppose you’re right,” he agreed. “I had hoped -for immediate help, Carter, for something that would -put new hope into me. Evidently, I expected too much, -though. I’ll do as you say, of course, and try to -believe that everything will come out all right. Good -morning.”</p> - -<p>And with that he left the room, walking as if he -were seventy instead of sixty.</p> - -<p>“Number one!” Green-eye Gordon chuckled as he -leaned back in his seat. “A hundred and fifty thousand -isn’t bad for a starter. I wonder who will be -the next?”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CHAPTER XLVIII. -<br /> -<small>UP AGAINST IT.</small></h2> - - -<p>A few minutes later, the front-door bell rang again, -and this time the salver which the butler presented to -his supposed employer bore the card of Harold Lumsden.</p> - -<p>Gordon nodded impassively. “Very well,” he said.</p> - -<p>“I only hope he’ll prove worth the trouble,” he told -himself, as the butler left the room. “He’s a spendthrift, -of course. Money turns to water and runs -through his fingers, no matter how fast it comes in. -He’s just back from London, however, and I hardly -think he has already squandered everything he picked -up there.”</p> - -<p>Then the door opened, and a tragic figure entered. -The caller’s face was haggard, his eyes wild, his hair -disordered. Even his clothing seemed carelessly worn -and ill-fitting, though Lumsden had always been considered -one of the best-dressed men in the profession. -Certainly he did not look like a matinee idol now.</p> - -<p>“Something terrible has happened!” he burst out. -“Mr. Carter, I am being blackmailed! Somebody has -learned the secret which I thought safe with you, and -has demanded an enormous sum of money. It means -my ruin, unless——”</p> - -<p>“I know all about it, I am sorry to say,” the bogus -detective interrupted.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span></p> - -<p>Once more he gave a brief and very unsatisfactory -explanation, pointing to the rifled safe, and winding -up with a statement of his belief that there was nothing -to do but to pay—“just as a temporary expedient, -of course.”</p> - -<p>Naturally, that advice did not appeal to the actor -any more than it had to ex-Senator Phelps, but Gordon -adroitly argued him into a somewhat less impatient -mood.</p> - -<p>“How much does he want?”</p> - -<p>“A cool hundred thousand,” was the bitter reply, -and it did not convey any real news to the man in -Nick’s desk chair. “And I haven’t more than eighty -thousand to my name!”</p> - -<p>“The devil you haven’t!” Green Eye exclaimed -harshly. “Not after that London engagement?”</p> - -<p>He had spoken without thinking, and did not realize -what he had said until the caller looked sharply at him.</p> - -<p>“I beg your pardon, Lumsden!” he hastened to say. -“That must have sounded impertinent, I’m afraid. I -meant no offense, I assure you. It was merely surprise. -You know, we outsiders are inclined to think -that you popular actors are made of money.”</p> - -<p>“Well, we’re not,” the other answered, as if slightly -mollified. “What shall I do?”</p> - -<p>“Pay what you can,” Gordon answered promptly. -“I know it doesn’t appeal to you, my friend, but as I -have said, it’s only temporary. I’ll have the fellow -where I want him in short order, you may be sure. -This is only in the nature of insurance to keep the rascal<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span> -from carrying out his threats before I can stop -his activities.”</p> - -<p>That seemed to appeal strongly to the actor.</p> - -<p>“It’s asking a good deal to trust everything to you, -including my whole bank roll, when the trouble originated -through you,” he said. “However, I see nothing -else to do. I’ll do as you suggest. Anything is -better than exposure, and I can always earn more -money if I have to see the last of this.” He paused for -a moment. “By Jove!” he ejaculated. “You have -made me feel that I shan’t be comfortable until I’ve -paid the money over. If you don’t mind, I’ll make -out a check to self right now, and take it to the bank -to be cashed, so that I can turn over the currency to -the scoundrel when he comes.”</p> - -<p>Green Eye had no objection to that, of course; in -fact, it brought an anticipatory glitter to his eyes. -With shaking hands, Lumsden took a check book -from his pocket, seating himself in the chair which -Gordon vacated for the purpose. When he tried to -write, however, he found it exceedingly difficult to -do so.</p> - -<p>“Confound it!” he cried impatiently. “See how infernally -nervous I am! Would you mind filling this -in for eighty thousand, Mr. Carter, and then I’ll try -to sign it.”</p> - -<p>“Gladly,” Green Eye said, with alacrity, reseating -himself in the vacated chair, and taking the pen from -his visitor’s trembling hand.</p> - -<p>The masquerading criminal held down the cover of -the little check book with his left hand, while he began<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span> -to write with the other. Lumsden leaned over his -shoulder, watching him, as if ready to try his luck at -signing his name as soon as the rest of the check was -filled in. His hand slipped into his pocket, however, -and when it came out silently, there was something in -it which had a metallic gleam.</p> - -<p>“Ah! Thanks!” he exclaimed, a moment or two -later. “You have made it very easy for me, Gordon!”</p> - -<p>Simultaneously there was a sudden, unlooked-for -swoop, followed quickly by the click of a pair of handcuffs -as they closed on Green Eye’s wrists.</p> - -<p>And the voice which uttered the mocking words -was not the voice of Harold Lumsden, but that of Nick -Carter himself. Gordon knew it after the first word -or two, and even if he had not done so, the action -which went along with it would have been enlightening -enough.</p> - -<p>“Nick Carter, by Heaven!” the rogue cried hoarsely, -jumping to his feet and overturning the chair.</p> - -<p>“Nick Carter—exactly,” the detective agreed, removing -the wig which had played such a large part -in transforming him into Harold Lumsden. “You -didn’t think you were going to have this little masked -ball all to yourself, did you?”</p> - -<p>After the first dazed shock—a merely momentary -one—had passed, Gordon’s face seemed to grow actually -black with rage and hatred.</p> - -<p>“You may think you have me, curse you!” he -snarled. “But I’ll show you——”</p> - -<p>He leaped forward, his manacled arms raised to -strike together. Nick quietly sidestepped the mad<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[249]</a></span> -bull-like rush, but Green Eye turned and charged him -again.</p> - -<p>There was one more surprise awaiting him, though. -The door opened, and Chick entered, coolly fingering -an automatic.</p> - -<p>“Pretty neat weapon, isn’t it, Gordon?” he asked, -in a matter-of-fact tone, then stopped in feigned surprise. -“Oh, you and the chief are having an argument? -Hope you don’t think I’ve butted in. Now -that I’m here, though, I think I might as well stay. -You look as if you needed your wrists slapped, and -the chief may not care to bother with it.”</p> - -<p>The escaped convict had halted in his tracks at the -first interruption, and was now looking from the detective -to his assistant with baffled rage. He would have -liked to fight it out to a finish, but his shrewdness told -him that he would gain nothing by such a course, and -it was one of his rules never to exert himself unnecessarily. -The consequence was that he merely shrugged -his shoulders.</p> - -<p>“So be it,” he said quietly. “You fellows can trump -my ace, I see. Let me remind you, however, that you -haven’t got that gold that our mutual friend, John -Simpson, took such a liking to. Likewise, you’re a -long way from the possession of those papers which -you were foolish enough to keep in a more or less -ordinary safe.”</p> - -<p>The detectives looked at each other and grinned.</p> - -<p>“Think so?” queried Nick. “I’m afraid, in that case, -that you are scheduled to receive another disagreeable -surprise or two. I located the gold yesterday afternoon—in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[250]</a></span> -one of Gillespie’s closets. As for the missing -records, I feel very sure that we shall discover -them on you.”</p> - -<p>And they did.</p> - -<p>Therefore, there was no need of delay, and No. -39,470 Clinton was shipped northward to Dannemora -the next day, under escort.</p> - -<p>“Lucky for us that he belonged to the ‘Gray Brotherhood,’” -Nick remarked to Griswold, when he -turned a little over seventy-five thousand dollars in -gold over to him. “Otherwise, he would have gone -scot-free, just as in the case of Simpson. As it is, -he’ll get something extra for his escape, at least, and -I don’t believe he’ll have a chance to slip away again.</p> - -<p>“But another case like this would give me heart -disease, I’m afraid,” he added to himself.</p> - - -<p class="no-indent center large p1">THE END.</p> - - -<p class="p1">No. 990 of the <span class="smcap">New Magnet Library</span>, entitled -“The Deposit Vault Puzzle,” introduces the reader to -a new phase of the famous detective’s versatile personality -and his seemingly unbounded resourcefulness. -Nick’s adventures and the means by which he solves -this particular puzzle make splendid sitting-up-at-night -reading.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[251]</a></span></p> - -<p class="no-indent center bold xxlarge p2">READ!</p> - -<p class="no-indent center bold xlarge">The Chain of Clues</p> - -<p class="no-indent center bold large p1">By NICHOLAS CARTER</p> - -<p class="no-indent center bold p1">New Magnet Library No. 1030</p> - - -<p class="p2">A gamblers’ club with sixteen entrances -through sixteen different houses on three streets, -where gambling is prohibited, is certainly an interesting -background for a detective story.</p> - -<p>Nick Carter becomes a member of such an organization -to trap a crook who held human life -so cheaply that his devilish crimes went unpunished -for a long time.</p> - -<p>Nick matched his wits against those of the -criminal and won out—but how he did so will -hold your undivided interest.</p> - -<p>If your dealer cannot supply this book immediately, -he will get it for you.</p> - - -<p class="no-indent center p1"> -STREET & SMITH CORPORATION<br /> -<span class="tdpr">79 Seventh Avenue</span> New York City<br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[252]</a></span></p> - -<p class="no-indent center bold xxlarge p2">Everybody -<br /> -Knows -<br /> -Horatio Alger</p> - - -<p class="p2">But does everybody know that nearly all of his -celebrated books may be had in paper covers at -a most modest price?</p> - -<p>It would seem so, from the orders for the Alger -books that are just rolling in.</p> - -<p>If you want to give your boy friends a big -treat, ask any news dealer to sell you a few of -the Alger books he has in stock.</p> - -<p>Big value in these days of high prices.</p> - - -<p class="no-indent center p1"> -STREET & SMITH CORPORATION<br /> -<span class="tdpr">79 Seventh Avenue</span> New York City<br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[253]</a></span></p> - -<p class="no-indent center bold xlarge p2">A REQUEST</p> - - -<p class="p2">Conditions due to the war have made it very difficult -for us to keep in print all of the books listed in our -catalogues. We still have about fifteen hundred different -titles that we are in a position to supply. These -represent the best books in our line. We could not afford, -in the circumstances, to reprint any of the less -popular works.</p> - -<p>We aim to keep in stock the works of such authors as -Bertha Clay, Charles Garvice, May Agnes Fleming, -Nicholas Carter, Mary J. Holmes, Mrs. Harriet Lewis, -Horatio Alger, and the other famous authors who are -represented in our line by ten or more titles. Therefore, -if your dealer cannot supply you with exactly the -book you want, you are almost sure to find in his stock -another title by the same author, which you have not -read.</p> - -<p>In short, we are asking you to take what your dealer -can supply, rather than to insist upon just what you -want. You won’t lose anything by such substitution, -because the books by the authors named are very uniform -in quality.</p> - -<p>In ordering Street & Smith novels by mail, it is advisable -to make a choice of at least two titles for each -book wanted, so as to give us an opportunity to substitute -for titles that are now out of print.</p> - - -<p class="no-indent center p1"> -STREET & SMITH CORPORATION,<br /> -79-89 Seventh Avenue, New York City.<br /> -</p> - -<hr class="tn" /> -</div> - -</div> - -<pre style='margin-top:6em'> -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SNARLED IDENTITIES *** - -This file should be named 63977-h.htm or 63977-h.zip - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/6/3/9/7/63977/ - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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