“Naw. He won’t have dem around. Dere’s lots of dem on dese corners, but he won’t have dem here.” Patsy was silent a moment as he thought over a plan which had entered his head. Then he said: “Call him here and tell him who I am. I want to ask him something.” The girl did so, and the proprietor, a rather rough-looking but honest man, came to him. “Mike,” said the girl, “this is me frien’, Patsy Murphy.” “Not Nick Carter’s man?” said the one called Mike, extending his hand. “De same,” said the girl, proudly. The man looked doubtfully between the two and asked: “How’d you get in wid him, den?” “Oh, we got acquainted dis afternoon,” replied the girl, tossing her head. “I heard something about it,” said the saloon-keeper; “will yer have a drink?” “No,” said Patsy, “but I wish you would answer me some questions. Do you know that there was a robbery in this house this afternoon?” “I heard something about it,” said the saloon-keeper, “but I don’t know anything about it.” “There was,” said Patsy, “and from the floor above.” “I heard a little about it,” said the man, “but I’ve nothing to do with the people upstairs.” “Then you don’t have the whole house?” asked Patsy. “No, I only rent this store.” “Do you know anything about the man who lives upstairs--the one who was robbed?” “No; he never comes in here, and he rented the two floors above from the same man I rent this store. He’s only been here about six weeks or two months.” “Well,” said Patsy, “I think I know pretty well who did the job. I think I know how they got into the house.” “Oh, that’s clear enough,” said the saloon man. “They broke in that stairway door in the rear and picked the lock of the upper door.” “I don’t think so,” replied Patsy; “in fact, I know they didn’t break the door in, for I know how that was done. But, I would like to get up to the top part of this house to see if I can find traces of the way I think they did get in.” “How was that?” “Through that scuttle,” said Patsy. “There’s nothin’ to stop your goin’ up there,” said the man. “There ain’t nobody up there now, for the two men livin’ there are out. If you should go out of that door opening into the hall, nobody would shoot you for doing it.” Patsy got up and said: “I’ll try it.” “And I’ll go with you,” said the man. “And so will I,” said the girl. Thus followed, Patsy mounted the stairs to the top floor and, reaching the hall on the top of the house, soon found the scuttle-hole in the roof. But there were no steps or ladder leading to it. Looking about, he saw a broken wooden chair in the corner and, bringing it into the light, saw that the fracture of the top of the back was a fresh one. The scuttle-hole was close to the wall and, looking at the wall directly under it, he saw marks on it which indicated that the chair had been placed against the wall and used as a means of reaching the scuttle. He put the chair at that place and saw that the chair and the marks fitted.