“What’s wrong? What the devil’s wrong?” Floyd demanded, yanking a search lamp from his pocket. “A spy! A spy at that window,” cried Hogan, pointing. “He’s fell through this door and gone into the cellar.” Chick Carter, waving his arm, had to wait only thirty seconds for his three assistants to join him. He knew that he had rounded up his game. “One of you watch this front door,” he directed, in whispers. “The others follow me. Guns ready!” Chick did not wait for an answer. He plunged through the alley, the policemen after him, and arrived in the yard, a veritable rat trap, just as Floyd switched on the electric light. “Hands up!” Chick cried. “We’ve got you covered, Floyd. You, too, Gammon! You’ll be dead ones if you show fight.” The policemen were not idle while Chick spoke. Both bored in upon the three cornered crooks, and Floyd and Gammon found themselves with revolvers at their heads. Hogan uttered a groan, and threw up his hands. Patsy Garvan came crawling out of the cellar at the same moment, only a bit bruised by his fall. He also had a gun in his hand--and that settled it. The arrest of the entire gang was easily made, and thirty minutes saw all except Sir Edward Chadwick locked in the precinct station. Word then was sent to Nick, who then turned his man over to the police, and the case was practically ended. For Lord Archie Waldmere was found confined in an ice box in the Hogan cellar, not much the worse for his distressful experience, he having been lured away and overcome precisely as Nick had deduced from the surrounding circumstances. It would be vain to attempt describing his gratitude to the Carters, as well as that of his wife, or the amazement with which he learned of the treachery of his uncle and the altered sentiments of his dying father. It opened the way for him to a new life in England, or to a renewal of the old, and he took it later with the willing consent of Lady Waldmere. But neither ever forgot the Carters, or failed to visit them when in the States. Stuart Floyd went back to prison and died there six months later. Others engaged in the conspiracy were punished in accord with the law, and are behind prison bars to this day. THE END. “The Edge of a Crime; or, Nick Carter’s Trail of Mercy,” will be the title of the long, complete story which will be found in the next issue, No. 142, of the NICK CARTER Stories, out May 29th. You will also find the usual interesting serial, short stories, and useful bits of information. Where’s the Commandant? By C. C. WADDELL. (This interesting story was commenced in No. 140 of NICK CARTER STORIES. Back numbers can always be obtained from your news dealer or the publishers.) CHAPTER V. THE SEVERED ROPES.