What most astonished Patsy Garvan was the woman’s companion, however, whom he saw quite distinctly when the taxicab passed the store.
"Great guns!" he mentally exclaimed, though his face did not betray his amazement. "That’s Goulard’s former partner, Mr. Henry Mantell, as sure as I’ve got eyes in my head. What’s the meaning of this? What business can he have with such a woman as Sadie Badger? He certainly is stopping there to see her."
Patsy had no doubt of his identity, did not for a moment distrust his slightly bowed figure, his gray hair and beard, his gold-bowed spectacles and distinguished, aristocratic aspect and attire, observed when the man alighted from the taxicab and hurried into the house, upon finding the door of the lower hall was unlocked.
"Gee whiz! this beats me to a standstill," thought Patsy, with increasing perplexity. "I’ll be hanged if I can fathom it."
"What are you thinking about?" Steel asked curiously. "Is there something wrong?"
"I’m not sure," replied Patsy. "You keep out of sight, please, and let me do the watching. I’ll make it right with you later."
"It’s all right, now, Garvan," said the clerk, moving quickly to the rear of the store.
Patsy continued to gaze stealthily from the store window.
Several minutes passed and brought no change in the situation.
The curtains at the windows of the ground-floor flat had not been raised. Nothing denoted that the visitor had been admitted.