“And what is the word ‘Passen?’”
“Never heard of it before.”
“Then what is the meaning of your message?”
“Nothing. It was diamond cut diamond. That was not Ida on the other end of the line.”
“Who, then?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps the Brown Robin. The wires have been tampered with in some way. It was not Ida for, if it had been, she would have wanted to know where Herman Hartwig was to be found, since she had never heard of him before, because I invented the name at the moment.”
“Then your suspicions were excited at once?”
“Yes; it was a good imitation of Ida’s voice, but a certain trick of Ida’s speech was wanting, and I was watching for it.”
Nick thought a moment; then, hastily stepping to the ’phone, he cut the connecting wires.
“It is the safest way,” he said. “Now, Edith, hurry to the drug store on the corner and send for Chick, Patsy and Ida.”