“Yes. When she snapped on the lights, a man who had been seated at the table in the middle of the room sprang to his feet—and she found herself looking into the muzzle of a revolver.” “Well, it wasn’t the first time that Nan has done that. It might have scared most women half to death; but Nan——” “I rather think that she was more surprised and startled by the appearance of the man himself than by the weapon he held in his hand,” said the detective, interrupting. “The man was Jimmy Duryea; Bare-Faced Jimmy; at least she says it was—and is.” “And—_is_?” “Yes. I’m coming to that.” “All right.” “The room was, of course, in a blaze of light. In the man who confronted her, Nan saw the face and features of Jimmy Duryea. On the table where he had been seated was a confused heap of the spoil he had stolen, and was engaged in sorting when Nan interrupted him.” “And she was looking into the muzzle of a gun,” commented Chick. “Yes. But it wasn’t that which startled her. It was the face and appearance of the man; of a man whom she supposed to have been dead four years, at least; of the man whom she had once married, and whom she had tenderly loved, until she discovered that he was a crook, when she deserted him and got a divorce.” “What did she do?” “What would nine out of ten women do, under like circumstances?” retorted the detective. “Let out a yell, I suppose.” “Nan cried out his name. ‘Jimmy!’ she exclaimed; and he dropped the gun to the floor, and called back, ‘Nan!’” “Tableau!” said Chick. “Precisely,” said Nick Carter. CHAPTER III. JIMMY DURYEA’S DARING. Chick chuckled softly to himself as he imagined the scene in the library that Nick Carter had just described to him. “Hold on a minute, Nick,” he said. “Let me get the chronology of those two straight in my mind. Jimmy, according to his own story, told to us four years ago, was, originally, a born aristocrat, the second or third son of somebody-or-other, wasn’t he?” “Yes. He would never tell who he was; but it is certain that he is well born.” “So was Nan; and both were English, eh?” “Yes.”