"If I can help you in any way I am ready and willing to do so," said Craven eagerly. He had been impressed by the detective's words. Nick felt that he could now be trusted.
Since entering the house he had not asked Craven as to the whereabouts of Mrs. Mannion, neither had he lowered his voice while speaking of Mannion and the murder. As a matter of fact, he had spoken in a louder tone than was usual with him, in the hope that the daughter would be a listener. It was very probable that she was somewhere about the house; and, if so, her anxiety over her husband's flight and the pursuit would cause her to view with suspicion the appearance of a stranger at the door. That she would eavesdrop was to be expected. Nick, as has been stated, hoped that she would overhear what he might say to her father, for from the description of her character he believed that the eavesdropping would likely be followed by an attempt to reach her husband and warn him that he must seek the safest quarters possible.
"Let her leave the house," thought the detective, "and Chick will shadow her wherever she may go."
For the purpose of adding interest to what he had said about Mannion, Nick answered Craven's last question by saying:
"I shall be glad to have your assistance, as I shall also be glad to bring about that which will in time make your daughter a happier woman than she would be if she knew what a dastardly scoundrel her husband is. As for her marriage, it may be annulled at any time, if, as I believe, she was unaware, at the time she became his wife, that he had served a term in prison."
There was a slight, a very slight movement behind the door opening into one of the rear apartments. The detective's sharp ears detected it, and he smiled inwardly.
"She knew nothing of it, I am sure," said Craven.
Dismissing the Mannion matter, Nick talked on general matters for about ten minutes. Then having, as he thought, given Mrs. Mannion a chance to escape, he arose to take his departure. It was close upon six o'clock, but the sun had not set. It would not be dark for over an hour.
"By the way," said the detective, as he stood at the door, "I would like to speak with your daughter a moment."