As he went to the back of the room silently with Nat, many curious glances were cast at him. “Who is he?” asked one of another. And those who answered came pretty near to guessing the truth. “Some fellow,” said they, “who gets others to do his work for him.” Two or three knew Claymore by sight, and they were not surprised. “Well?” said the newcomer, when he sat down at the table in the corner, and three heads were put close together. “We done it,” said Nat. “Sure?” “He’s dead as a nail.” There was a short pause. Then, in a low voice: “You lie, Nat.” Both the criminals started angrily, but they gritted their teeth and looked at the man, who added: “He’s just as alive as I am. Less than an hour ago he brought Hank Low in on a charge of murder.” “Then,” exclaimed Jack; “it’s all right, ain’t it?” “No, it isn’t all right. Carter believes that Low is innocent, and he has arrested him for a bluff. He knows that you did it.” Jack turned ghastly pale. Nat looked as if he didn’t believe it. “He can’t have any evidence against us,” said he. “He’ll get it. You know Nick Carter.” “But how can he get it? Nobody saw us.” “Somebody must have seen you enter the hotel.” “No,” said Nat positively; “I swear, Claymore, we got in without being seen.” “You haven’t told me how you managed that.” “No, for you sent us down the road on the chance of a pot shot at the detective. I’ll tell you. There’s an office building next to the hotel, you know, with an alley between.” “Yes.” “We went in there and found an empty room. It was easy enough to pick the lock and get in. Then we found that a short board would reach from the window to an open window in the hotel. Jack went out and swiped a board from the place where they’re putting up a new building. At twenty-five minutes past three we put the board out, crawled across, and got to the preacher’s room without meeting anybody.” “And left the board there?” “Not on your life!” replied Nat. “We took the board in and hid it in a closet until we had tumbled the preacher out of the window. Then we slipped back, returned to the office building by the same way, and so went down to the street.” “And left the board----” “Of course! We weren’t going to lug it around in daylight. What harm could it do in an empty room?” “Oh, no harm, of course,” very sarcastically. “Nobody would find it, and wonder about it; oh, no!” “What do you mean, Claymore?” “I mean this: Nick Carter has that infernally sharp Patsy along with him. I believe you know Patsy.” “Yes, darn him!” “So I say; but while Nick went out to get Low, Patsy was nosing around town. He probably found that board; he probably saw you two fellows, and knew you; then he put two and two together, and the long and short of it is that Carter is after you.” “We’ll be hanged sure!” groaned Jack. “There’s only one way out of it, boys.” “Well?”