But Chick soon found that Hogan could add but little definite information to that already obtained, which of itself was quite sufficient to convince Chick that he was on the right track. This was further confirmed by the fact that Dacey dwelt in a somewhat isolated place, that was less than a mile from the Darling residence, where he employed only a deaf housekeeper and the chauffeur already mentioned.
Chick paused only briefly to determine what course he would take.
“Nick and Patsy can look after things here,” he said to himself. “They will not need me. There is a bare possibility, on the other hand, that Darling is in the clutches of this bunch of blacklegs, as Nick suspects, and that he is confined at the Dacey place. I’ll go out there and look it over, at all events, and communicate later with Nick.”
Then, turning to the cabman, he said abruptly:
“Take me out there, Hogan, and drop me a couple of hundred yards from the place. I’ll decide later whether I have further use for you.”
“That’s good enough for me, Mr. Carter,” Hogan said readily. “Tumble in, sir.”
Less than half an hour brought them to their destination, a crossroad from which could be seen, in the near distance, quite an old wooden dwelling half hidden amid the trees flanking one side of the narrower road. It could be discerned only dimly in the starlight, though some[Pg 34] lighted lower windows could be plainly seen through the trees. It was the only dwelling in the immediate locality, and Chick came to a quick conclusion.
“Drive on about a quarter mile, Hogan, and wait till I come,” he directed. “I cannot say just how long you may have to wait.”
“My time is yours, Mr. Carter,” said Hogan. “You’ll find me there when you come.”
“Good enough,” said Chick. “You’ll get all that’s coming to you.”