The latter went to the clerk’s desk and engaged a room.
While the porter was showing the guests to the apartment, Nick Carter went to the desk and glanced at the blotter.
The party had engaged room eighty-five.
“Is room eighty-four engaged?” he asked of the clerk.
“Yes.”
“Eighty-six?”
“You can have that.”
“Does it adjoin eighty-five?” asked the officer.
The clerk answered in the affirmative, wondering the while at the question.
Nick took the room and was immediately shown to it.