“Well, I hope so,” said Nick, laughing. “Do you laugh at me?” Garland stood and stared. “Tell me----” “Oh, I haven’t much to tell you, Captain Garland. I came near losing those plans you brought me from the war office this morning.” “Losing them!” Garland spoke with a gasp. “God above! that would be heaping Pelion upon Ossa. If you had lost them, also----” “Oh, but I didn’t,” said Nick. “Where are they, then, and----” “Have a look.” Nick picked up his overcoat and revealed on the table--two portfolios stuffed with government plans. Garland stared for an instant, then uttered a shriek that might have been heard a mile away--a shriek imbued with joy and relief that words could not describe. He tore open both, viewed their contents for a moment, and then he threw his arms around the detective, sobbing like a child and crying wildly: “Oh, Carter, Carter, Carter, how am I to repay you? They are all here, all here! Both portfolios--every plan! Oh, my God, I think I’m going daffy!” “Let it be with delight, then,” said Nick, kindly forcing him to a chair. “We have called the turn on the foreign spies, at least, and put them where they belong. They have learned nothing from these plans, moreover, and you can bank safely on that, Garland, to the day of judgment. Calm yourself and listen. I will tell you what we have done and where you now stand.” Nick then told him what had transpired that morning; of the finding of the stolen portfolio by Chick and Patsy; of the subsequent arrest of the Baron Esterveldt and his confederates, and the imprisonment of the entire gang, with the exception of Andy Margate. “But we shall get him later,” Nick added, after thrilling Garland with the entirely favorable outcome of the case. “The others will get all that is coming to them, and are as good as booked for long terms in a Federal prison. As for Andy Margate, he is a clever and elusive crook. I have wormed out of Trent that he got an inkling of this job before leaving Europe, and that he came over here to take advantage of it. He did not know just what it was, but he kept an eye on Madame Valaska and discovered her friendliness with you. He saw you only by chance when you were met by her at the Union Station, Trent and Carney being with him, and they saw her slip the portfolio to Dillon, then in disguise, just before the touring car started. Dillon passed by the car to receive it, and Margate at once suspected its value. They waylaid him later, and--well, that’s the whole story. But he will not escape. We’ll get him later, Garland, take my word for it. We’ll get Andy Margate a little later.” Nick Carter’s prediction proved to be correct. THE END.