This was an absolute fact.
The letter brought by the girl had been written with a steel pen, an article that, as shown by the evidence, Mr. Field never used and had a great antipathy for.
Further, the ink in Mr. Field’s bottle was a black ink containing a great deal of “body,” or gum, while this ink with which the letter was written was a thin black ink made by an acid process.
Hence, it stood proved that the letter was a forgery.
And, if the letter was a forgery, what about the girl?
Nick Carter’s opinion, an offhand one, without any evidence either one way or the other, was that she was an impostor, and in some way connected with the crime.
Yet he hated very much to think of the girl in this way, for she certainly looked, and spoke, and acted like an honest, upright young woman.
Still, up to the present moment hard, stern, cruel facts pointed at her with unwavering finger.
One thing that he decided on before descending the stairs was that he could not any longer take Barnes into his confidence, and especially where the girl was concerned, for it was evident with half an eye that he had some great interest in her.
On going downstairs he found them together in the parlor, and Barnes had so far prevailed on the girl that she had taken off her hat and wraps.