“I have called on Nick Carter and learned how the game was played and the stumblingblock removed,” he said pointedly. “I thought it wise to cover my tracks by seeing this American detective without delay. He does not suspect me, nor will he, now, and though he is at work on the case, he frankly admitted that he is all in the dark.” “The which is a werry good place for ’im to be, Sir Edud,” Gammon dryly vouchsafed. “Don’t ’e know, then, as ’ow you ’ave been ’ere for nearly a week?” “He knows nothing about me, Mr. Gammon, except what I saw fit to tell him.” “Well, it’s safe to say, Sir Edud, as ’ow you’d tell ’im nothink worth knowin,” said Gammon, with a grin. “Come to the point,” frowned Chadwick. “I did not employ you to comment upon my sagacity.” “Werry true, Sir Edud; werry true, indeed.” “Come to the point. Is it all over?” Baldy Gammon shook his almost hairless head and appeared a little disturbed. “Well, not quite, Sir Edud, not quite,” he reluctantly admitted. “What do you mean, Gammon?” Sir Edward harshly demanded. “What do you mean by not quite? Hasn’t he been disposed of, put out of the way, out of existence?” “Not yet, Sir Edud.” “Why not? Hang it, why the delay? I inferred from what Carter told me that it was all over, that the infernal----” “Now, ’old your ’osses, Sir Edud, ’old your ’osses,” Gammon interrupted, with as much suavity he could command. “It’s as ’ow it cawn’t be ’elped. I’ll tell you just ’ow it is, Sir Edud.” “Do so, then, and lose no time about it,” Chadwick commanded, frowning more darkly. “I had hoped you brought me better news.” “It’s precisely what I suspected,” Nick Carter murmured. “I’ll wager my reputation on it.” “Looks so,” Chick tersely agreed. Baldy Gammon, having broken the ice, came forth with his explanation. “It’s like this, Sir Edud,” he began. “When I came over ’ere for this ’ere work, knowing as ’ow you soon would follow me, I ’ad in mind the werry man for a job o’ this kind. It don’t matter what ’is name be, nor would ’e like me to inform you.” “I’m not at all anxious to know it.” “I’ve knowed ’im for some time, Sir Edud, and I knowed ’e would ’ave the right ’elp and a ’ead to frame up the job in the right way. ’Ow well he did it, Sir Edud, goes without saying. We’ve got the man. We’ve got ’im where we wants ’im.” “You know where I want him,” snarled Chadwick harshly. “You know what depends upon his death, and----” “’Ear me out, Sir Edud,” interrupted Gammon pacifically. “It’s as ’ow we can turn ’im down at any moment.” “Why in thunder hasn’t it been done, then? Why this needless delay? Delays are always dangerous.” “It’s like this, Sir Edud,” Gammon proceeded. “This covey I speak of, ’im as run the whole blooming job, and who can be banked on to do ’is part when the time comes--this ’ere covey don’t feel dead sure of getting what’s coming to ’im.” “The money you agreed upon? Is that what you mean?” “That’s what I means, Sir Edud, and----”