In one hand he held the photograph that figured so curiously in the case, and which would have convinced any ordinary detective that Madame Victoria and Mrs. Amos Badger had been robbed precisely as alleged, for the camera, at least, would not have lied.
Yet this bit of convincing evidence was so out of the ordinary, as well as the circumstances under which it had been obtained, that Nick from the very first had been inclined to distrust the picture.
In his other hand he now held a large magnifying-glass, through which he was carefully studying the photograph, holding it in the full glare of the morning sunlight.
“What’s that, Nick?” inquired Chick, starting up from his chair and dropping a morning paper reporting the last robbery. “Hit with an idea, did you say?”
“Exactly.”
“What is it, Mr. Carter?” asked Patsy, at once displaying a lively interest. “Have you discovered something lame in that picture?”
Nick laughed.
“That about hits the nail on the head, Patsy,” said he, with a glance in the lad’s direction. “I think I begin to see a ray of light in the darkness.”
“What have you discovered?” asked Chick.
And both he and Patsy came to lean over the back of Nick’s chair.