“I think Doctor Guelpa noticed it, also, for I detected a look of surprise in his eyes.” “Why didn’t you question Mrs. Clayton?” “The time was not favorable,” said Nick. “She was not in a mood to have answered personal questions. I saw that plainly enough, Chick, and I decided to defer interrogating her. I preferred, moreover to see her alone.” “You intend doing so, then?” “Surely.” “When?” “This evening. I shall call at her home on Washington Heights. I think I may find her alone.” “In that case----” “In that case, Chick, she will tell me what she had on her mind this morning, or I’ll know the reason why,” Nick interrupted, with ominous emphasis, while he arose from his swivel chair. “Go ahead, Patsy, along the lines I have directed. We’ll start this ball rolling.” CHAPTER V. PATSY STRIKES A SNAG. Patsy Garvan never did things by halves. Soon after six o’clock that evening a dapper young man of remarkably inoffensive aspect, barring a somewhat fierce upward twist of his mustache, which was also remarkable in that it could be quickly transferred to his vest pocket--soon after six o’clock this dapper young man entered the Hotel Westgate and sauntered to the office inclosure. Though it was a busy hour of the day and the subordinate clerks actively engaged, Patsy quickly found an opportunity to speak to Vernon, to whom he said quietly: “Keep that same expression on your face, old top. A look of surprise might be seen by some gink whom we least suspect. I’m Garvan, Nick Carter’s assistant. Invite me into that cubbyhole back of the bookkeeper’s desk. I want a bit of information from you.” Vernon instantly grasped the situation. He nodded, while smiling and shaking hands with Patsy over the counter. “Step around to the end of the inclosure and I’ll let you in,” he replied. Patsy did so and was admitted, taking a chair back of the bookkeeper’s high desk, which concealed him from view of persons outside of the inclosure. “By Jove, Garvan, I never would have recognized you,” Vernon then laughed quietly. “What can I do for you?” Patsy told him without stating why he wanted the information, but cautioned him to say nothing about the matter. “I can tell you in a very few minutes,” Vernon then said, more gravely. “The ledger accounts will show just who has been here during the period you mention, also just when they arrived. I will get it. We will look it over together.” “Go ahead,” nodded Patsy. It required, as Vernon had said, only a few minutes to learn who had been permanent guests in the hotel since the middle of August. The list was not a long one. It contained only four names, in fact, though thousands of transients had been coming and going during the same interval. “Permanent guests did not begin to flock in, you see, until the end of the summer season,” Vernon explained. “So much the better,” said Patsy. “This simplifies the matter. Two of these guests are women. What do you know about them?”