She arose to meet him, and welcomed him cordially.
“I was very much afraid that you would fail me,” she said.
“Oh, no,” he said, carelessly. “I am quite anxious to see this Brown Robin.”
“Why, indeed!”
“She must be an attractive person. An old gentleman who ought to know better was caught by her, and rushed off to me to get him out of his trouble. But before I could get to work, he backed out of the matter, and, I think, because she has entangled him in her charms.”
The one beside him looked up quickly at Nick, but she could not read his face.
“They say,” said she, “that there is no fool like an old fool. I suppose you could not be caught that way.”
“A man is very foolish to boast of his ability to resist the charms of a pretty woman,” said Nick, gravely. “I have seen too many strong men caught to be boastful myself.”
“Perhaps it is the story of her charms that makes you so willing to go with me?”
“Perhaps,” replied Nick, “but I think it is more out of curiosity to see the woman who has baffled the police forces of so many large cities. It might be useful, you know, to me some time. There’s no knowing how soon a case in which she is operating may be given me.”