"By all means," nodded Chick.
"Do you know," said Nick, "I am seriously impressed that there is some strange connection between this girl's death and that robbery at Venner's store. I believe that we have struck the very clew, or are about to strike it, that we so long have been vainly seeking."
"To the Kilgore gang?"
"Exactly."
"Egad, I hope so," laughed Chick, with a grimace. "I am beastly tired of nosing about on a scentless trail."
Nick joined in the laugh of his invariably cheerful associate.
"Odds blood, Nick, as they say in the play," added Chick. "I'd welcome any sort of stir and danger, in preference to this chasing a will-o'-the-wisp."
"There'll be enough doing, Chick, take my word for it, as soon as we once more get on the track of Kilgore and his push."
"Let it come, and God speed it," grinned Chick. "What's your idea, Nick?"
"This empty jewel casket, the possibility that it contained diamonds, of which the girl was robbed and then murdered, and the fact that Harry Boyden is the clerk who brought the stolen diamonds to Venner's store—certainly the circumstances seem to point to some strange relation between the two crimes."