"Obviously, Frank, your father could not be in two places at once," Nick interrupted. "If you were with him in the surrogate court precisely half an hour ago, it could not have been he who called here for your wife." "That goes without saying, Nick. But----” "Wait! Let me learn the exact circumstances," Nick again interposed. "Come into the library. This way, Perkins." He led the way while speaking, forcing Mantell to a chair and adding encouragingly: "You keep quiet, now, while I question the butler. I’ll very soon pick up the trail and get after the rascal." "Go ahead, Nick," bowed Mantell, pressing his hand. "Thank God that I brought you out here." "Now, Perkins, tell me what occurred," said Nick, turning to the tall, very much astonished butler. "You were very sure, you said, that the man who came here is the elder Mr. Mantell." "Why, yes, I have no doubt of it, none whatever, sir," replied Perkins. "How could I be mistaken? I have served Mr. Mantell for five years, sir, and----” "And know him perfectly well by sight," Nick cut in dryly. "That shows the exceeding skill and cleverness of the man who deceived you. He came in a conveyance of some kind, I infer." "Yes, sir. He came in a taxicab." "Tell me just what he said and did." "He said very little, sir," Perkins proceeded to explain. "I saw the taxicab coming up the driveway, sir, and that Mr. Mantell was seated in it. He had directed the chauffeur to the side door, sir, and I hastened to open it, thinking Mr. Mantell would come into the house." "He did not do so?" questioned Nick. "No, sir. He spoke from the taxicab, sir, and told me to send Celeste, who is Mrs. Mantell’s maid, to ask her mistress to put on her street garments to go with him to the court, where her signature was wanted on some papers relating to the business on which Mr. Mantell had left home this morning. I heard them discussing it while at breakfast, sir." "What more did he say, Perkins?" "He told me to have Celeste ask Mrs. Mantell to hasten, as young Mr. Mantell was to join them in court, and that they must not keep the judge waiting. That was all, sir." "You gave Celeste those instructions." "I did, sir, and Celeste took them to her mistress." "What followed?" "Mrs. Mantell hurried downstairs in about five minutes, sir," said Perkins. "She was putting on her veil, and I opened the door for her to pass out." "Did you open the taxicab door for her?" "No, sir. The chauffeur had opened it and returned to his seat." "On which side of the interior seat was Mr. Mantell sitting, or the man you supposed was he?" Nick inquired. "Near the open door, sir," said Perkins. "I heard him tell Mrs. Mantell that he would close it, and she passed him and took the other end of the seat. Mr. Mantell then closed the door, sir, and the chauffeur drove away." "Rapidly, I infer." "Yes, sir." "You saw nothing more that occurred in the taxicab?" "I did not, sir."