“Must you go?” asked the girl.

“Yes, but I would like to leave some one here, if you have no objections.”

“Who, Mr. Jones?”

“One of my assistants. If possible, I would be glad if his presence here could remain a secret between us—even if your uncle should come.”

“It could be arranged, Mr. Jones.”

“Then I will summon my assistant. Will you conduct me to a rear window on this floor?”

The girl was puzzled, but led Nick to a window in the rear, overlooking the back yard between Forty-fourth and Forty-fifth Streets.

In one of the yards, in plain view of the rear of the Montgomery house, a roughly dressed young man was working at a clothes pole.

Nick waved his hand.

The man nodded and started to slide down.