“It does not matter in the least, Nick, now that you have returned,” he said quickly. “What’s on your mind?” asked Nick, taking a chair. “You said you have a reason for coming here.” “So I have,” said Clayton, more earnestly. “I think I have a clew to the crook who got the jewels.” “By Jove, is that so?” “The chance is worth taking.” “What do you mean? What kind of a clew?” asked Nick, with manifest interest. “It came from a woman friend of mine early this evening,” Clayton proceeded to explain. “She talked with me by telephone. I have not seen her.” “Who is she? What is her name?” “Grace Alcott. She’s an old flame, a girl with whom I have always been quite friendly. I know her to be reliable.” “What did she tell you?” Nick inquired. “She said she had information for me bearing upon the robbery. She intimated, in fact, that she could put me in a way to nail the crook and recover the stolen jewels.” “Well, well, that would be going some,” declared Nick, apparently becoming more enthusiastic. “Have you any faith in her statements, Clayton?” “Enough to send me here, Nick,” was the reply. “One other reason is the fact that she lives just around the corner from the business quarters of a guest in the hotel.” “I see the point. What guest?” “The physician you met this morning.” “Doctor Guelpa.” “Did she mention his name, or hint at him?” “No, nothing of that kind.” “Why did you not go to see her, then, instead of coming here?” Nick inquired. “For two reasons,” Clayton now explained, more hurriedly. “One, because you are handling this case and I feared that I might interfere with you if I butted in and did something of which you were ignorant.” “I see.” “Another, because Grace said I had better bring a detective with me, as he would more quickly appreciate the points she wanted to lay before me, and that he also would know what should be done.” “She wanted you to call on her, then?” “Yes, indeed, as soon as possible,” nodded Clayton. “I grabbed a taxi and rushed down here, therefore, hoping that you would go with me. I thought that was the best thing for me to do.” “I guess it was,” Nick quickly agreed. “Will you go?” “Yes, yes, Clayton, by all means,” assented the detective. “There may be something in this. We cannot afford to leave any stone unturned. The sooner we go, too, the better.” “Good enough. My taxi is outside.” “Come on, then, and we’ll be off. I’ll not even wait to tell my butler where I am going,” Nick added, with a laugh, as they hurried out of his office. Clayton joined with him in the laugh and followed him into the taxicab. He evidently had given the driver his instructions, for he made no move to do so. He remarked, as they settled back on the seat and rode away: “I hope this won’t prove to be a wild-goose chase, Nick, after all.” “It ought not, surely,” Nick replied. “You say you know the girl to be reliable?” “I have always found her so.” “How old is she?” “About thirty.”