Nick Carter recalled vividly his first encounter with Mercedes Danton. He remembered that it had been in the early morning and among the roses at Linden Fells; and he remembered also that he had learned in other ways that she was fond of rising early in the morning, and upon this habit he had calculated to afford him an opportunity for an interview with her before her father and mother should appear on the deck of the steamer.
Indeed, he argued that it was extremely doubtful if they appeared at all before the ship was safely docked at her pier, and so there would be the time occupied in traversing the distance from Quarantine, during which he could perfect his plans for the future.
It may seem strange to the reader that he should have adopted the disguise he did, in order to see and talk with Mercedes Danton, but there was a distinct method even in that move. He had no desire to conceal his identity from the young lady herself, although for the present and for reasons that were perfectly obvious to himself, he did not care, as yet, that either old Peter Danton or his wife should be made aware that Nick Carter was meddling in their affairs.
Nick had taken the conduct of the case on his shoulders entirely because of his own wish to do so, and was, therefore, acting in a manner which might be deemed officious by the old man, who was cranky and difficult to deal with at the best.
The detective knew that the financier would pooh-pooh any idea that a conspiracy had been organized against the peace of his family. If he had been told that there was a conspiracy against his bank accounts he would have believed the report without question, on the principle that it would be an act of wisdom to guard against such a contingency in any event; but a conspiracy against the happiness and peace of his family, or even against his own life, unless it were formed somewhere in the Street and aimed in reality at one of his deals, he would refuse to comprehend or believe.
But with Mercedes it was different.
She had already been through one experience of the kind, and had promised, upon Nick’s advice, to keep the matter a secret from her father and mother. Hence, while she was in a measure prepared for what Nick had to impart to her, her father and mother were not.
And there was another reason why the detective believed it wise to disguise himself as effectually as possible.
He had no doubt—if the story told to him by Tom Morgan was true—that there could be emissaries of Paul Rogers at the pier when the ship was docked, for he reasoned that they would not waste time in beginning their operations.
He naturally did not wish to have any of these agents of the murderer-conspirator recognize him nor suspect that he was present, and he most certainly did desire to see without himself being seen.