“Only three capitals,” said Nick, still scrutinizing the blurred marks with his lens. “There appears to be two quite long words preceding the word ‘college’.” “That immediately preceding it begins with ‘M.’ It may be medical.” Chick quickly suggested. “I am quite sure of that.” “What are the others?” “There seems to be two words preceding that, or one very long one,” said Nick. “They are so blurred that I cannot read them. The first capital in the address, however, is a ‘D.’” “It evidently is the name of a medical college.” “I think so.” “The location is not legible?” “No. Only a capital ‘S,’ evidently that of the word ‘street.’ No numerals are discernible.” “The box must originally have contained something that was shipped to a local medical college,” said Chick. “With the initial to aid us, and the fact that it is in one of the city streets, not an avenue, the directory should enable us to identify it.” “We will see after going a step farther,” replied Nick, rising and replacing his lens in his pocket. “I wish to inspect this side street.” He led the way while speaking, and paused on the curbing of the sidewalk. The street was a narrow, unpaved one, flanked on both sides with inferior stores with dwelling apartments above, a street that was only dimly lighted after the early hours of the evening. The ground was somewhat muddy from recent rain, and near the curbing were plainly discernible the tracks of a wagon and the footprints of the horses attached to it. “A team stopped here last night,” said Nick, pointing. “There was a fourth man in the gang.” “Why do you think so?” “Because here are four tracks of tires close to the curbing. There would be only two, those of the front and rear wheels, if there had been only one stop made.” “That’s true.” “I am sure there were three men who took the body from the back room,” Nick added. “No less could have accomplished it without being heard. They would not have dared to leave their team standing here all the while. The fourth man drove away and returned to get his confederates and their burden. That’s why we find four tracks here, instead of only two.” “Surely,” Chick agreed. “There’s no getting around it.” “The wagon had rubber tires, moreover, and--yes, by Jove, one of them was patched, or mended. Here are the marks left in two places by a seam, or where some new rubber was vulcanized to the old. This will help some, I think.” “We can bank on that, Nick, all right.” “Say nothing about this to others,” Nick directed. “We will follow up these clews and see to what they lead, Chick, before making any disclosures.” “That’s good judgment.” “Come. We’ll return to the shop.” As they retraced their steps through the alley, Nick obliterated the evidence found there, treading out the imprint of the box with his boots.