Unfortunately for him, he had just stepped in front of Nick Carter, and received the bullet meant for the detective.
Nick was the first to recover his presence of mind. In an instant he was out into the street. A block away he saw a man spring into a motor car and drive furiously away.
While he could not see the man’s face, Nick could have sworn from his general appearance that the man who jumped into the machine was Jack Weeden.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
FIGHTING AGAINST ODDS.
Did the man in the motor car fire the shot which had killed the driver of the ambulance? Nick was certain that it was so. It was useless to try to pursue the man on foot.
As Nick was about to reënter the morgue, Inspector Ward came out. His face was white with excitement.
“Did you see the man who fired the shot?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Who was it?”
“I am positive that it was Weeden.”