After that, he had taken dinner, and then, a little before eight, repaired to the White House, where the President was awaiting him.
It was half-past nine when he came out again, and walked slowly across Lafayette Square toward the hotel; and he was not surprised-in fact, he smiled rather broadly-when he noticed at once that he was followed.
As he issued from the White House grounds, he noticed that a man was loitering near the cast end of the square, and another near the western end of it. Still another had been on the White House side of the avenue and had started to walk rapidly in his direction, the instant he appeared; and through the trees in the square, he could see that there was still another, while he had not a doubt that there was one or two more around him somewhere, ready to take up the trail if they should be called upon to do so.
"Mustushimi does me too much honor," he murmured to himself. "He has probably put his best men onto me already. Good!"
He continued on his way across the square, as if he was entirely unobservant of these things, but he was keenly on the alert all the time lest one of the spies should approach too close to him and that he did not desire; for it would be an easy matter, in such a case, for one of them to stick a knife into him, or fire a bullet into his body, or attack him in some manner, before he could have an opportunity to defend himself.
But the paths across Lafayette Square are wide, and well lighted, and he could see in all directions almost as plainly as if he had been on the avenue itself; and the men who were keeping him in view remained at a respectful distance-and so, presently, he passed into the entrance of the hotel and seated himself in the office of it, having lighted a cigar.
And then, across the floor from toward the desk, there approached a certain senator from the West[1] who had been active in that other case to which reference was made in his talk with the President-the senator whose identity Nick had assumed for a time in order the better to work out his case at that time.
"Hello, Carter," he said, dropping into a chair near the detective, after shaking hands. "I happened to see your name on the register, and asked if it was indeed you. Finding that I was not mistaken, I have waited to see you."
"That is kind of you, senator," replied the detective.
"Fact is, I really wished to see you, Carter."