The detective smiled.
“Barnes, you are a smart fellow in your line of business, but you are not at home in what belongs to detective work. Had their first blow been ineffective, and they had been recognized by Mr. Field, it would have been far easier for them to have finished their work than taken him with them. Remember, you are then presupposing that they came back with the express purpose of killing your friend.”
“I see it now. Yes, it was a foolish idea on my part.”
Nick laughed and said:
“Come along, and we will see where these tracks lead to.”
Barnes was somewhat abashed by having made such a blunder, and he was silent for some minutes.
He then said:
“How is it about these tracks?”
“How about them in what respect?”
“Did these drops of blood come from Field?”