CHAPTER XI—Continued.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13798, 2 November 1908, Page 6

CHAPTER Xl—Continued.

••One thm«; is slll'(l- !i«-»wlc(l Cluck. "We must hud «;ut who that a riled woman is. as well as th«- ".any, who \wif with her. \on saw thivc oi thriii the hist nitfhl, Ni<-I*. ••l"<1 vm ' nrol.abh was knocked out by one ol thrni in the hasen.ciH. We must had out who they are and why the\ were there lt\ a reasonable conjecture that the\ killed Cardili that in^ht. either hejon> 01 niter knocking \oii out. Nick said nothing m reply to tins, l>u*t there was a curious uleain in the depths ol his keen «;ray eyes. "If that veiled woman and this .Nannie are one and the satiu " ••Nannie." Nick now interrupted. •That ma\ he short for Annette. That is a French name. Doctor Card lit studied in France years u<j,o. It niav be that lie was threatened because ol something which occurred at that tune, n'-aiii assuming him to be Hanlon. ""•There ina.\ he something in that theory." „ , -, . -I he turning up of that frenchman, \ernol, at just this time, may also have a bearinu, on the case," added Nick. "He may be able to enlighten me conceniinu Cardift's career in Paris. All this is quite remote, however, to have ended in a murder at this late day. 1 shall call on Vernol to-ni»ht and question him. providing his wrath has spent itself." "1 say!" Chick stopped short ami looked straight at Nick. "It can't he possible, can it. that this Vernol is foolni'i us. and is realh hack of the rasealiv job!" "Ifolv smoke!" exclaimed Patsy, tart led by the mere idea. "Hardly." Kick said dryly. quickly shakiim liis bend. "Doctor Cardiff was very emphatic in his statements coneernine; tlie friendship of Vernol. He eren confided to him all that he conlidecl to me. 1 have no doubt that the friendly bond between them was a \ cry strong one." "Why not go see him at once?" sug...ested Patsy eagerly. "(Ji\e him time to cool down." growled Nick. "This evening will lie soon enough." Before evening the news of the murder was out and had become the chief topic of discussion in e\ery precinct of the city, in the homes of the poor and tlie wealthy, in every \hotel. .saloon, and grog-sboi), in every train and boat, and amid tlie groups on the streetcorners. The evening journals flaiinted tlie shocking crime under glaring headlines, and pictured the dismal details in double-leaded columns. The absorbing mystery was tlie theme of all—yet none presumed to venture a theory that would solve it. One man who had undertaken to sohe it, however. M't to work agaiu that evening —Nick Carter. It was about half-past eitilit when, walking leisurely up Third Avenue, he approached the tall, faded brisk apart-ment-house in which Adolph Vernol was quartered. He occupied a corner room on the third floor, and Nick glanced up at the curtained windows as he approached the cross-street and saw that the room was lighted. "K\identlv I shall find him there." he said to himself. "Probably behind one ot tliosp huge pipes and a tankard of beer. 1 trust the\'ll have put him in a bettor humour than when I hist sun- him. Tt not Hello! Well, I'll be hanged!" Nick's thoughtful countenance had undergone a startling change. He suddenly beheld, amid the few p -de^trians passing under an awning ,ibo\e the bri^htlv lighted windows of the 1 on th<"» street floor-he for the third time sudd'Milv belx Id—the •n\ st(>i ions veiled woman! Tlieio ■» as no mistaking her lithe, supple figure, her quick, energetic mo\ ernont.s, the firm poise of her he-id, tlie inconspicuous hat upon it, nearly hid under the dark \oil entirely concealing her face. She was the same woman Nick had studied on the open (,ii nearly three 1 weeks, before—there could be no doubt of it. "H\ Jove, they say that the third time never fails." Xiek muttered with grim "hi thai case, young huh. I'll come pretty jienr learning something wore definite about you, Xo giving me the slip this time, not if I know Uy thunder! Can she bo heading- i'or Vornol's roomy That; would have an ugly look, an infernally i ugly look." The woman, having turned the. corner, quickly approached a side door of the house, where she glanced sharply about and then hurriedly entered. Nick saw her from the opposite corner. Moving" down the side street, he darted across and quietly opened the door a little, till he could peer cautiously into the narrow hall. The skirts of the woman Were just vanishing around the upper turn of the stairs. "To Vernol's room she's bound, as sure us I'm a foot hijrh," Niclc murmured, with a darkening frown. "T must know what this means, if it takes a legl," He did not foresee that it would come near costing n life, qnd that his own. He took a simple disguise from hi.s pocket, adjusted it quickly, and then started after the woman. j He did not discover that be. too, was | a mark for watchful eyes. A m:m who was only a few paces behind the womnn when Kick first saw her had observed the detective's move- ! monts. Only his sinister dark eyes would have betrayed him, foj* his features were well diaguisi'd. They were evil eyes, as evil as when he was ordered from the Card iff residence only a few hours before. Kick had no sooner entered the house Hum this same .Jim Devlin starter! to follow him. As he did no. lie shifted two objects from hih hips to the side pcwijotrt of bis sack coat. One was a revolver. The other was a keeiwdgod dirk-Unii'e,