A florist wagon drove up rapidly to the door with two men in it. Hardly had they stopped and gotten down from it, than a third man rushed up in great haste. Throwing open the rear doors of the wagon, the three took out a variety of flowers and ascended to the top of the steps, ringing the bell hurriedly. The doorman threw open the door, and one man, rushing through, with his arms full of flowers, said: “These are for the rear room on the second floor. Come along, men. Bring those other flowers quick.” Patsy stepped forward and said: “What is this?” “We are very late, we know,” replied the man, “but Mr. Sanborn did not order these flowers until this morning.” “Mr. Sanborn never ordered them,” cried Patsy. “Do you know all that Mr. Sanborn does,” replied the man, rather indignantly. In the meantime, the other two men had pushed forward and the three now tried to go by Patsy. “Stand back,” said Patsy. “You can’t go by here. Now get out.” “We’re goin’ to do what we were paid to do,” said the leader, “and you mustn’t stop us.” Nick, upstairs, hearing the altercation, hurried forward. He was about halfway down the stairs when he saw Patsy catch the leader by the throat with both hands, and pushing him against the others, shove all of them, with their flowers, out through the door. “Take ’em in,” cried Nick. “That’s the third attempt they’ve made.” One of the men whom Patsy had shoved out, hearing the voice within, turned and caught a glimpse of Nick, who had reached the door by this time. He dropped the flowers on the stoop, running down hastily, at the same time crying out: “It’s Nick Carter!” With this, the other two dropped their flowers, and, jumping for the wagon, clambered into it, to be driven away in hot haste. “That is the third attempt, Patsy,” said Nick. “I don’t think they will attempt it again. If there is another attempt, it will not be until after the house is filled up with guests.” Nick was right, for no other efforts were made during the time the bridal party was away. It was after one o’clock before the bride and bridegroom, with the guests bidden to the wedding breakfast, returned to the house. And it was fully two hours later before the guests to the reception began to arrive. While keeping close watch on all those who entered, Nick Carter and his aids, nevertheless, kept themselves out of sight as much as possible. Nick had taken for his own post the hallway on the second floor leading to the room where the presents were. A room in the front of the house on that floor had been set apart for the use of the groom, and, after the breakfast was over and the reception was about to take place, the groom, whose name Nick had learned was Mr. Norman Ellison, entered that room for a short time. Coming from it, he met Nick, face to face, at the door.