“I guess that would be hard work. Those acid stains go in pretty deep, and stay until the skin wears off, as I told you.”
“Well, you have something that will pretty nearly take them out, haven’t you?”
“Oh, I guess I could find some chemical that would make them fade out somewhat.”
“That’s what I want you to do. When you find it you’re going to put an advertisement in the paper stating that you can remove all sorts of stains from hands and faces. In short, you’re going to become a sort of skin doctor for a while,” said Mr. Newton.
“What’s it all about?” asked the chemist.
Then Mr. Newton told Mr. Hosfer the main facts in connection with the safe-robbery, and the theft of Larry’s deed. He related how they had gotten on the track of the blue-handed man, but how the quest for the deed had failed.
“I’m afraid if we cause his arrest we will never see the deed again,” said Mr. Newton. “Besides we really have no evidence that would stand in court if they got a clever lawyer to defend Noddy, as he is called. We must work without the aid of the authorities for the present. We want to get the deed back first. Then we want some clews to the others concerned in the safe-robbery, and, last, I want to get on the track of the land operators, for I am sure there is a big swindle going on there that concerns the Board of Aldermen.”
“How can I help you by becoming a skin doctor?” asked the chemist.
“In this way,” replied the reporter. “We will put the advertisement in the paper. Unless I am very much mistaken it will be seen and read by Noddy, the blue-handed man. I am sure he would only be too glad to get rid of the stains, and so save himself the trouble of wearing gloves. Besides, he knows we are after him, and that his hands offer a rather easy mark of identification.”
“But he could go to some other doctor who makes a business of removing stains from hands and faces,” suggested Mr. Hosfer.