“I don’t believe that anybody will ever succeed in giving you your quietus,” said the inspector laughingly.
The inspector asked Nick to step into his private office, that they might discuss the case.
The inspector listened to Nick’s story of the affair attentively, and when he had concluded, he said:
“I have heard of the crockery man, Wright, but have never seen him. I shall have to look him up.
“The peculiar part of the thing that puzzles me is the remarkable resemblance of the men, if, indeed, Wright is not Jack Weeden in disguise.
“But, then, all of my officers who saw the man that you tried to get are ready to swear that the man is Wright, and that his reputation is of the best. According to people in the neighborhood, he has been in business but a short time, but during that period he has succeeded in making a number of friends in the locality where he does business.”
“That may all be true,” responded Nick, “but I have seen many curious things in my long experience, and I am not surprised at anything that happens now. I remember a case where the man that I wanted passed among his neighbors for a woman for several years, and it was not until he met with an accident that his identity was discovered.”
“But is it not possible that two men could be in the same locality at the same time?” asked the inspector.
“Yes; but it is hardly likely that both would be dressed alike, even to the style of collar and necktie.”
“Well, we shall find out in a very short time whether it was Weeden or Wright that you saw. I shall send one of my men, and have the crockery man brought before us,” said the inspector.