Half a minute later he was lying in the box from which the treasures had been taken. He heard the cover replaced, the massive key turned in the grating lock. Three minutes later the wagon moved away with the four knaves and its load of treasures. Only Patsy Garvan remained. Entombed alive! Alone with the dead! CHAPTER IX. IN THE NICK OF TIME. It fell to the lot of Nick Carter, as frequently occurred, to be a sort of connecting link between his two assistants, so uniting the result of their work as to form the complete and unbreakable chain that helplessly shackled the outlaws they were seeking. It was after six o’clock when Nick, returning to his Madison Avenue residence, learned that neither of them had arrived, nor any definite message been received concerning their movements. “Both men have picked up a trail worth following, and are so engaged, or they would have sent in a report of some kind,” Nick reasoned, taking the swivel chair at his desk. “They must have accomplished more than I, in that case, since I was banking quite heavily on what I could learn from Archer, the real-estate agent, concerning his relations with Deland. It was bad luck, indeed, that he was out of town on this particular day. I’ll try his residence. He may have returned by this time.” Nick had been trying in vain, in fact, to get in communication with Mr. John Archer, who had had charge of the Barker residence during its owner’s absence. He now found, with much satisfaction, that he had met with success. The servant who answered his telephone call informed him that Mr. Archer had arrived home and would talk with him in a moment. Scarce more than that had elapsed when Nick heard the agent’s voice over the wire. He at once informed him of what had occurred in the Barker residence, and he then began to question him. He soon found, however, that Archer could add but little to what already had been learned; that he had permitted Deland to occupy the house because of a letter containing those instructions from its owner, brought to him by Deland, and that he had not communicated with Colonel Barker in regard to it, believing the letter to be genuine and Deland entirely trustworthy. “Did you recognize Colonel Barker’s writing, or is the letter typewritten?” Nick inquired. “It is typewritten on paper bearing a cut of the Berlin hotel in which Colonel Barker is living,” was the reply. “Did you recognize the signature?” “Perfectly, Mr. Carter.” “It is a forgery, nevertheless.” “That seems almost incredible,” Archer protested. “I am very familiar with Colonel Barker’s signature. I have had charge, of both of his places at times during many years.” “Has he two places?” “Yes.” “Where is the other?”