“I hope you won’t, Mr. Carter,” said Kerr earnestly. “I do think that I can put my hand on the murderer, but I’d like very much to get your opinion, if not your assistance.” “All right. There’ll be time enough for that while we get dinner somewhere. Can you take us to a quiet place?” “We were going to the hotel where the crime was committed. The Western Union manager is going to send a boy there with a piece of evidence we need, just as soon as the boy gets back from a long errand.” “Very well,” said Nick; “we’ll go to the hotel, but we won’t go together, if you please. You and Folsom go back together, and if anybody asks you about Nick Carter, give them any kind of a steer you choose, as long as you make them understand that I’m not in town. Then engage a private room for dinner----” “We have done that already, Mr. Carter.” “Good! What’s the number?” “Fourteen, second floor.” “Patsy and I will join you there in half an hour, unless there’s some hurry.” “No,” said Kerr, a little doubtfully, “I don’t believe there’s any hurry, for we can’t act till we get the messenger boy’s evidence.” “Yep,” returned Patsy, who had heard the talk about the forgotten change. “So long, then.” Kerr and Folsom left Nick and Patsy inside the station, where they had met. “You don’t really hope to conceal the fact that you’re in Denver, do you, Nick?” asked Patsy. The great detective smiled. “When fifty men heard that I was sent for?” he returned quietly; “not quite.” “Then why do you make such a fuss about it? Why not go along to the hotel openly?” “Patsy,” said Nick, as he pretended to consult a pocket time-table, “if the guilty man was one of that fifty, don’t you think it likely that he would shadow Folsom and Kerr and follow them to the station to see if I came?” “Gee, yes! I hadn’t thought of that.” “And, if he did so, of course he’s seen me.” “Sure.” “And he wouldn’t follow the others out, but would wait to see what became of me.” “That’s it.” “Well, then----” “You needn’t say any more, Nick. I’m on. I’ve spotted every man who has been in sight since we stepped off the train.” “About a dozen of them, eh?” “Fully that.” All through this talk each had been carefully looking around the station, though no one there could have suspected that they were paying attention to anything but themselves. In fact, Nick had been taking in the situation from the moment he met Kerr and Folsom. “Let’s go into the waiting room,” he said, as he put away his time-table, “and buy a cigar and a newspaper.” As they went across the large room they observed very carefully to see if any man was watching their movements. The crime had happened too late in the afternoon for the regular editions of the evening papers, but extras were now out, and a big pile of them had just been brought to the news stand. Several men were at the counter buying the papers. Patsy went to the cigar case, and Nick asked for a paper.