Nick tore open the envelope, which bore the East St. Louis postmark, and found a note which contained these words:
"Nick Carter: You are on a wrong scent. Give up the pursuit of Gabriel Leonard, wait two days, and the truth will come out. You well know I have no love for you, but in this case I am willing to act fairly. You are making a mountain out of a mole-hill. This is all. I have made arrangements to leave, and will be hundreds of miles away when you receive this. Be guided by my advice, and you will live to thank me. C. R."
Having read the note, Nick handed it to the chief.
"H'm. She is very mysterious, whoever she is, Nick. 'C. R.' Do you know what the initials mean?"
"Yes. They stand for Cora Reesey, alias Madame Ree."
"Then she is mixed up in this affair, sure enough. But do you believe what she says in the note?"
"I'll answer you in a moment. First, I would like to look at that blackmailing letter which she wrote to Leonard."
The chief opened a drawer, found the letter and gave it to Nick, who compared the writing with the writing on the note.
"A very good imitation," he said, after a few minutes, "and likely to deceive any one except an expert."
"Then Madame Ree did not write it?"