“Yes, sir.” “Well, show yourself in the road there just below the house about dusk, and I’ll pick you up in a carriage. Will you come?” “You bet I’ll come. Dat man would ’a’ killed me if it hadn’t been for you.” “I’m making up now for last night’s bad luck,” thought Nick, as he turned around with an insipid stare and in a drawl asked the bystanders to join him in a drink. As he turned away from the bar a moment later he noticed a well-dressed man entering the front door and hastening directly up-stairs, as though desirous of remaining unnoticed. The man was Brower, with whom Nick had, in the disguise of a business man, made the ten-thousand dollar bet the night before. CHAPTER VI. WANTED--A DEPUTY SHERIFF. About two o’clock in the afternoon of the same day the sheriff was somewhat surprised at seeing a dudish-looking fellow walking into his private office unannounced. He glanced up impatiently from his writing, but immediately resumed his work. “Transact your business in the outer office, please,” he said. “Aw,” said the dude, gazing stupidly through his one eye-glass, “are you the person in powah?” “Transact your business in the outer office,” repeated the sheriff, peremptorily. “Cawn’t do it, me deah boy.” The sheriff threw himself angrily around in his revolving chair and faced the intruder. “What do you want?” he demanded. The dude closed the office door carefully and threw himself into a chair in front of the irate official. “I have an idea,” he said, in his natural tone of voice, “that there may be a racket at the racing stables to-night, and I want an understanding with your men.” “Who are you?” “Nick Carter, at your service.” “Well, well!” exclaimed the sheriff, extending his hand, “you would deceive your own mother in that rig.” “All in the way of business,” said Nick, with a smile. “I begin to recognize you now, although it has been a long time since I have had the pleasure of putting eyes on you.” “I’ve been rather busy, and the fact of the matter is that I am rather crowded for time now. You have men at the track, I suppose?” “Certainly. The police are supposed to keep order there, but we always have men on hand to look out for pickpockets and notorious criminals who are wanted here and in other places.” “Shall you have men at the stables to-night?” “There are half a dozen there, I believe, who have been engaged to look after the safety of the horses.” “Will you be kind enough to give me a note to one of them?” “Certainly, I’ll drive over with you if you think it necessary.” “I think it would be better not. I’m handling a peculiar case in which I have constituted myself judge, jury, and executioner, and I think it will be better for me to go alone.” “As you choose. You know, Mr. Carter, that you can command me in any way.” “Well, it may be necessary for me to make an arrest there to-night. If so, I want to have one of your men within reach so that I can place the prisoner into his hands at once.”