“Not on your life,” said Lannigan. “Anyhow, I’ll take the chance. I may be done out of the money and you may not make the bond good to-morrow, but if you don’t----” He stopped talking suddenly and there was a pause that lasted some time. Then Elwell spoke: “There’s no use of your making such threats as that, Lannigan. They are not pleasant.” “No,” laughed Lannigan, bitterly, “and they won’t be pleasant for either you or Seaman here, if I carry them out.” There was another silence, during which there was the rustling of paper. Then Elwell spoke again: “There, Lannigan, is the paper signed by Seaman and witnessed by me. Bring it to me to-morrow as agreed and I will see that it is acknowledged and the bond given to you.” “Very well,” said Lannigan. “Now about the five thou.” “Here it is,” said Seaman. “Let me count it,” said Lannigan. “You can see me count it. There are fifty one-hundred-dollar bills here.” Again there was a brief silence, during which the rustling of paper was heard. “Hand it over,” said Lannigan. “It’s all right.” “Produce the goods first,” said Seaman, with a laugh. “Oh, they’re here all right,” Lannigan said. “I’ll get it.” Again there was a brief silence, during which the steps of some one across the floor could be heard. Nick got ready to give the signal, for he believed that the point was at hand when the burst into the room should be made, to find before them the very article that was the object of their search. “Open it,” said the voice of Seaman, “and let us see that it’s all right.” Again there was a brief instant of silence, when there was a sudden start, followed by an unusual commotion, cries and oaths, above which rang the voice of Lannigan, crying: “The game’s up!” “What trick is this?” cried Seaman, angrily. “We’ve been robbed!” cried Lannigan and the unknown together. Seaman laughed loud and bitterly, and said: “It’s a plant. A dirty plant. Now I suppose you’ll undertake to rob me of this five thousand.” “Before Heaven!” cried Lannigan, most earnestly, “it’s no plant. I tell you we’ve been robbed and since we left here this afternoon to meet you.” “Nick Carter!” exclaimed a voice that had not yet been heard in all the talk. “Do you think so?” asked Elwell. “Who else? Who knew of it being here but Lannigan and I,” said the same voice. “Has everything been taken out?” asked Elwell. “Every blessed scrap of paper,” replied Lannigan. “And a lot of newspapers put in their place.” “Lannigan,” said Elwell, “I believe that both you and your friend are square in this matter. I believe that you have really been robbed. This makes it all the more serious. For we now do not know in whose hands they are.” “Nick Carter’s, I tell you!” exclaimed the strange voice again. “Perhaps,” said Elwell. “If they are, then we are all of us done.” “Beat to a finish,” said Seaman. “He’ll die for it if he has swiped them,” almost shouted Lannigan, wild in his anger.