The detective glanced at him quickly, and there was a narrowing of the dark eyes which told of swift thinking.
“Indeed? Are you sure nothing has got out about it?� he asked.
“Quite. There are four persons who know about Mrs. van Dietrich’s disappearance: My partner, Mr. Mallory, the housekeeper, and Mrs. van Dietrich’s maid. That is all. Well, there is one more—yourself, of course. We did not know that you had found it out. We don’t understand how you did it, either.â€�
“Well, I prefer not to tell you that just now,� answered Nick Carter. “That is, if you desire me to take this case.�
“We most certainly do,� declared Paul Savage earnestly.
CHAPTER II.
BITS OF EVIDENCE.
“Sit down, won’t you, Mr. Carter?�
James Mallory, who had been so interested in gazing at the great detective as to forget the ordinary amenities, offered this invitation. Getting up from his own chair behind the flat-topped desk, he placed one for the visitor, with a propitiatory smile.
“Now, what is the first move, Mr. Carter?� asked Paul Savage, as they settled down.
“Let me go over the particulars, as they have come to me,� replied Nick. “We will see if they agree with the information you have.�