“Thank you, doctor,” Clayton said quickly, bowing.
“Describe the man with whom you talked, Clayton,” Nick directed.
“He is an ordinary type of man, Nick, apparently about sixty years old. He has dark hair and a full beard, sprinkled with gray. He is quite tall and of rather slender build. He talked and appeared like a gentleman.”
“He wore a full beard, did he?”
“Yes.”
“It’s ten to one, then, that he was disguised.”
Doctor Guelpa laughed audibly.
“I hope you don’t imply, Mr. Carter, that one in every ten men that wear a full beard is in disguise,” said he jestingly. “I have, as you see, quite a profuse growth of whiskers.”
“Not at all, doctor,” Nick replied, smiling. “Under the circumstances involved, however, I always distrust bearded men.”
“Yes, yes, to be sure,” nodded the physician. “I appreciate the point, of course.”