Furthermore, this man was short and thickset, and there was a black mole on his right cheek.
Not only that, but he had a revolver in his hand and was training it full upon the intruder.
In a flash Nick had made up his mind as to what he should do.
This man, of all others, must not take him for a prying detective.
It would be better for him to consider Nick as a common sneak thief.
So the detective set about to foster the latter impression.
Catching up the wallet, he slipped it into his coat pocket.
Then he began throwing the other contents of the grip aside in a seeming eagerness to find something else of value.
“There, my man, that’ll do!”
The voice came from the man in the doorway, and Nick sprang round, the very picture of trepidation and fear.