That room contained only one occupant, however; the man in search of whom Chick Carter had left the Gordon residence more than an hour before—Mr. Edgar Hereford Dayton.
He was seated in one of the leather upholstered chairs, pushed back from the polished table. He did not appear disturbed by what had occurred or by the advent of the detective upon the scene, though he gazed at Nick curiously when he entered, flecking the ashes from the end of a cigarette.
His overcoat and hat were lying on a chair near the wall, and near it stood a closed leather suit case.
Nick Carter identified him instantly as Dayton—and somewhat more than that when he spoke.
Henley was the first to open fire, however, addressing Dayton and saying gruffly, the moment he entered:
“You’d better clean out that town office, old sport, or fight shy from it now on. I reckon this dick has sent his right bower to keep an eye on it. Leastwise, I don’t see where else he would have sent him in such a rush.”
Nick suppressed a smile. It amused him to find that Henley was a bit more discerning than he had thought him.
Dayton appeared unmoved by Henley’s announcement and advice. He glanced at the suit case mentioned, then responded with a curious mingling of coolness and assurance that Nick was quick to remember:
“He is welcome, Henley, to inspect that office. It already is cleaned out of all that would interest him. Suppose, instead of giving me needless advice, you tell me just what this meddlesome fellow is after, and what he has been doing.”
“By Jove, I’m not mistaken,” was the thought then in[Pg 32] Nick’s mind. “This rascal has even more strings to his bow than I suspected.”