Both Badger and his wife accompanied him to the door, the latter giving him the card mentioned, and the former remarking, as Nick descended the steps and entered the runabout:
“I hope you’ll inform me, Mr. Carter, if you get any reliable clue to the identity of these rascals. If I can aid you in any way, moreover, I beg that you will command me.”
“Thank you,” returned Nick, nodding for Grady to start the machine. “I will bear it in mind, Mr. Badger.”
As he rode down the driveway he read the card which he still retained in his hand, but the name of Miss Clayton did not appear upon it.
It was the card of—Madame Victoria.
It gave the street and number of her suite of rooms, and announced that she was an astrologer, an impressionist, and a spiritualist medium. It further stated that she could tell one’s fortune from the cradle to the grave, that she could be profitably consulted for information concerning dead friends, lost articles, missing relatives and heirs, or for advice in business matters, love-affairs, and all things pertaining to one’s personal welfare.
Nick read the card twice with considerable interest.
“Quite a round of accomplishments!” he grimly said to himself. “I wonder why she doesn’t locate the property of which she was robbed. The woman is evidently a charlatan, a pretender, who imposes upon credulous and weak-minded fools to get their money.
“Madame Victoria, eh? Well, I will now give you a call, madame, and possibly a call-down! I’ll wager I take means to fool and expose you!”
Such was the trend of Nick’s thoughts after reading Madame Victoria’s card, to whose rooms he next proceeded.