“Do so, please,” Nick directed, then waited until he heard the sexton’s voice.

“Hello!”

“Is that you, Mr. Dexter?”

“Yes.”

“This is Mr. Vaughn talking—Gerald Vaughn,” said Nick, proceeding in a roundabout way to get the information he wanted.

“Oh, yes, I remember you,” Dexter returned. “What can I do for you?”

“Nothing whatever. I merely want to thank you again for having opened the Barker tomb for me this morning, and for your kind attentions.”

“Well, well, that is quite needless, Mr. Vaughn, I assure you. My duties require no less of me.”

“I wanted to thank you again, nevertheless, and I feel very grateful. Good night, sir.”

Nick did not wait for an answer. He hung up the receiver, shouted to Joseph, the butler, and then hastened to don a woolen cap and a thick reefer, into the pockets of which he thrust three revolvers.