“We will try later to find out how he got away with the girl. It would be useless to undertake it at present, and immediate pursuit is out of the question. A hundred conveyances have left here during the past half hour.” “I guess you are right, chief,” Patsy agreed. “I know that I am,” Nick replied. “We may, however, accomplish something of importance. Margate is a past master of the art of making up and impersonating others. It seems very evident that he impersonated the waiter Toulon, but whether with Toulon’s consent and assistance, or whether he is an innocent victim of the rascal, is an open question.” “That’s right, too,” said Patsy. “We may find the correct answer to it,” Nick added. “Did Toulon appear to be in bad shape, as if the assault was a genuine one?” “He did, chief, for fair, as far as that goes,” Patsy reported. “He appeared to be telling the truth. Here is the cigarette he began to smoke. I found it near the bulkhead door.” “I will size up the fellow and judge for myself,” said Nick. “Find Chick and have him bring Toulon in here. See the caterer, also, and tell him not to leave before I have talked with him.” Patsy hastened to obey. Chick entered with the waiter a few moments later and closed the door. Pierre Toulon had recovered from the assault. He was a man of medium build, with dark features and a black mustache, waxed at the ends. There was a bruise on his forehead and his lower lip was slightly scratched, also one side of his neck. His collar was wrinkled and soiled, but his garments had been brushed. “Come nearer, Mr. Toulon, and be seated,” said Nick. “I want to question you about the assault. You are employed by Mr. Lenaire, I am told.” There was nothing in Nick’s voice, looks, or manner denoting that he had any covert designs. He spoke very pleasantly, with a tinge of sympathy for his hearer. Toulon approached a bit gingerly, nevertheless, and seated himself on the edge of a chair, directly opposite the detective. “Yes, sir, I work for Mr. Lenaire,” he replied. “I am a waiter.” “How long have you been in Lenaire’s employ?” “About two weeks, sir.” “I understand that he sent you up to Mr. Clayton’s room, Toulon, to ask Mr. Vandyke to join him in the dining room.” “Yes, sir, he did.” “About what time was that, as near as you can tell?” “I would say it was near ten o’clock, sir.” “Did you return to the dining room after taking the message to Mr. Vandyke?” “No, sir. You see, sir, I didn’t take the message,” said Toulon, with some signs of embarrassment. “No?” queried Nick, as if surprised. “I understood that you did. How was that?” “Well, you see, sir, I was near dying for a smoke,” Toulon explained. “I thought it would be a good time to slip out and have one. So I went out to one side of the house, thinking I’d stay only a couple of minutes, just long enough to have a whiff or two, sir. But----” “Ah, I see,” said Nick, interrupting. “You then were attacked by the three men.”