“Wait one moment, Mr. Sanborn,” said Nick. “Let that man come in here and let’s have a look at him. The tricks of these fellows are many and shrewd.”
Mr. Sanborn was again about to instruct the servant to that end, when Nick stopped him a second time.
“Don’t be so hasty,” said Nick. “I don’t want you to offend the Detective Bureau, if the call is a straight one. And, if it is not a straight one, I don’t want the fellow calling to recognize me. Where can I conceal myself and yet see him and what is going on?”
Mr. Sanborn went to a corner of the room, and, drawing out a large and costly screen, placed it so that one window was concealed by it.
“I have this screen so that I can throw up the window and get the fresh air without its blowing on me. You can sit behind that and be perfectly concealed, hearing everything, and for seeing, why, you can cut a hole through it.”
“Rather a valuable thing to cut a hole into,” said Nick, as he looked behind it.
“Oh, that’s all right,” said Mr. Sanborn. “I fancy if I were to try hard I could buy another.”
“Now, then,” said Nick, “listen to what this man has to say, and if you hear three taps behind this screen, that I shall make by rapping my penknife on the back of the chair, you say to the caller that you will be very glad to have the Detective Bureau send three men in plain clothes.”
Nick looked around the room, and seeing that he could step out through the window into another room, said:
“But if you hear me whistle a bar or two of any tune, in the next room, say positively that all provision has been made and the services of the bureau will not be required.”