Mantell’s terse inquiry, hoarse with anxiety and suspense, brought Nick Carter out of his momentary abstraction. He looked up quickly and said:
"There’s nothing to this, Mantell, in so far as the crime, the motive, and the identity of the criminal are concerned."
"You don’t mean," Mantell cried, "that you know who has committed this outrage?"
"I certainly do."
"Tell me."
"Gaston Goulard."
Mantell stared, dumfounded for a moment.
"What do you say, Carter?" he demanded. "Are you mad? Goulard is dead——”
"No, he isn’t," Nick interrupted. "He is very much alive. I saw him last night under circumstances that were entirely convincing."
"You saw Gaston Goulard?" Mantell appeared unable to believe his own ears. "You saw him alive and——”