Nick now placed himself behind the screen, and a moment later the man who had presented his card was brought into the room by the servant.
He told his story to the millionaire glibly, and had hardly finished it when some one in the adjoining room whistled the tune of a popular air.
Whereupon Mr. Sanborn very sharply said that the bureau’s services were not required, and he imagined that none of his guests were going to rob him on such an occasion.
The man calling tried to persuade Mr. Sanborn that he was running a great danger, but Mr. Sanborn would have nothing of it, and cut the interview short rather arrogantly:
There was nothing for the man to do but to leave, and so he went out of the house.
Nick returned to the room, saying:
“I supposed,” he said, “that I would recognize any one the Detective Bureau might be likely to send to you. But what I did recognize at a glance was that this man, who has just left us, is one of the most dexterous crooks, who works in large cities. He is a Philadelphia man, and I am sure he is the one who conducted those robberies at the great receptions last winter in Washington.”
“Then,” said Mr. Sanborn, “you believe your note of this morning was a good warning?”
“I must,” replied Nick, “under the circumstances, and I will be prepared to meet any effort made to-day.”
Mr. Sanborn, after producing a box of cigars, said to Nick: