“Why, yes, what do you mean?”

“Did you come here alone?”

“Entirely so.”

“Did any one know of your coming here besides yourself?”

“Not a single person.”

“Will you give your word that Nick Carter is not in concealment here to see us go off together and to follow us?”

“I will swear that I am here alone; that neither Nick Carter nor any one else is in concealment here to follow us.”

“Very good; I’ll take your word for it. But let me tell you that if you have deceived me in any way, that you will be punished in a way that you will not like.”

“I have not deceived you. No one is with me, and no one could suspect that I was to be here.”

“Come along, then.”