“Do you feel sure that she went to the rooms of the Helstone gang?”
“Yes. The house is tenanted by respectable people. They all say that they did not see her, and I believe them.”
“Is there any trace of the man with the brown beard?”
“He has been seen in the neighborhood, but nobody remembers anything about him. It is going to be nearly impossible to trace him.”
“I don’t mean to trace him,” said Nick.
“What!” exclaimed the inspector.
“That’s the state of the case,” Nick rejoined. “You won’t find me camping on the trail of that fellow any more.”
“What will you do?”
“Look here, inspector, your men have been after Helstone for some time, haven’t they?”
“Certainly.”