"The Mystery of the Crossed Needles; or, Nick Carter and the Yellow Tong," will be the title of the long, complete story which you will find in the next issue, No. 151, of the Nick Carter Stories, out July 31st. In this interesting narrative the famous detective matches wits with a clever Chinese crook, and throughout the story there is a constant mental battle between the man of the Orient[Pg 41] and the man of the Occident. Then, too, you will also find the usual installment of the serial now running, together with several interesting articles.
Sheridan of the U. S. Mail.
By RALPH BOSTON.
(This interesting story was commenced in No. 148 of Nick Carter Stories. Back numbers can always be obtained from your news dealer or the publishers.)
CHAPTER XIII.
ONE LITTLE SLIP.
Judge Lawrence opened the case for the defense by assuring the jury that it would take but a few minutes to present all his evidence. The first witness counsel for the defense placed on the stand was the prisoner himself. In as few words as possible, Owen told how he had incurred the enmity of Samuel Coggswell by exposing the latter’s plot to tamper with Judge Lawrence’s mail. He explained that for the same reason he had also aroused the animosity of Carrier Smithers, of Branch X Y.
"Our next witness will be Carrier John Smithers," announced Judge Lawrence, when Owen had finished.
Smithers, sullen and hostile, glared at his questioner as the latter asked quietly: "You and Carrier Sheridan occupy adjoining rooms in a boarding house, do you not, Mr. Smithers?"
"We do."
"And you were off duty and in your room at the boarding house the day the inspectors visited the house and searched Sheridan’s trunk?"