“He wasn’t here until just before the row began,” was the reply.
“Where is he now?” asked Nick.
“I don’t know. The police closed the place.”
As the fellow spoke he glared angrily at the prisoners. It was evident that he knew something of the cause of the raid.
“These men came here,” said Nick, “looking for a man named Hughart. Where is Hughart?”
“I don’t know anything about him,” was the angry reply. “What I want now is my money, and I want these women and these rooms searched.”
“Search them, then,” said Nick. “You know the rooms better than we do.”
“We can look through the rooms later, after the women are taken away,” said the proprietor, “but I want the women searched now. I believe they have my money on their persons.”
“They will be searched at headquarters,” replied the detective.
“Well,” continued the enraged owner of the place, “if you have done your work here, I want you to get out. I must get things in shape again.”