Into this he plunged, concealing himself from view, but in such a way that he himself could watch.
Passing the ninth floor, he saw the young man eagerly watching the elevator that followed.
Patsy could not get out on the ninth, but he did on the tenth, and hurried down the stairs. Some one was descending the stairs to the eighth floor. Leaning over the balustrades, Patsy saw a man descending rapidly.
This one wore a dark beard and mustache, and his hair was of the same color. The man he had followed had been beardless and his hair was quite light. But there was something in the carriage of the shoulders of the man descending the steps that suggested the one he had followed down Broadway.
Springing to the head of the stairs, Patsy flung himself on the balustrades, sliding down thence to gain time.
The man followed quickened his pace and fairly flew down the steps two at a time. Patsy was gaining on him, for he was more reckless in his pursuit than the man was in his flight—taking more chances.
Thus the chase continued until the floor on which the great offices of the insurance company were reached, when the followed man plunged into them, with Patsy close on his heels.
Then the man stopped, faced about and waited for Patsy to come up. To the lad’s astonishment, he was not in disguise. He looked at Patsy with a sarcastic smile, and asked:
“Are you following me?”
“Yes,” replied Patsy, carefully sizing up his man.