“Excuse me,” he said, as he came to a standstill, “do you live around here?”

“Are you addressing me?” the detective asked, in a disguised tone of voice.

“I am.”

“Oh, well, yes, I live in that house down there,” said Nick, pointing to the tall tenement which Darwin had twice entered.

“You do? What floor do you live on?”

“The top. Why?”

“I want some information about one of the tenants.”

“Eh!”

Carter bent forward and looked at Darwin.

His acting was magnificent.