He dropped his revolver into his side pocket, then caught his breath for a flying leap. He missed the moving stern with his feet, but caught the low aft rail as he fell, fiercely clinging to it and dragging astern in the wild swirl of water from the propeller, till his arm felt as if it was being pulled from his body. Margate had seen him leap and heard him swashing astern. Seizing a boat hook, the rascal rushed aft, with murder in his evil eyes. Chick was expecting this, and he had convinced to draw his revolver from his pocket. He saw Margate coming, saw him loom up against the blue of the sky, saw the uplifted boat hook aimed at his head, and Chick’s hand rose above the swirl and spume around him. Bang! There was only one shot, nor need for another. A splurge of red covered Margate’s evil face and shirt front. He threw up both hands and pitched headlong over the boat’s side, instantly sinking from view in the black, swift-flowing stream. Chick let go of the launch, and she sped on across the river. He paddled here and there, watching for Margate to rise to the surface, but the body did not appear. Apprehending that Patsy might be in need of aid, Chick lingered only to feel sure that Margate had been drowned, if not killed with the bullet, and he then swam ashore and hastened up to the building. Patsy still had his prisoners well in hand, however, with theirs still in the air. Ardley was lying dead on the floor. The four remaining crooks were speedily secured after Chick returned, and all that remains of the stirring case may be briefly told. They, including Ardley’s wife, were tried and convicted of the abduction, and were sent to prison for a term of years. Margate’s body never was recovered from the river, but there seemed to be no reasonable doubt that he had been shot, or drowned. Ten o’clock on that eventful morning found the detectives returning to Langham Manor with Clara, and the scenes of joy that followed could not be verbally described. The wedding journey had been deferred by knavery of the basest kind, but only briefly deferred--owing to the prompt and masterly work of Nick Carter and his assistants. It may go without saying, too, that they were most liberally paid for that work by those they had served so splendidly. THE END. “Driven from Cover; or, Nick Carter’s Double Ruse,” will be the title of the long, complete story which you will find in the next issue, No. 159, of the NICK CARTER STORIES, out September 25th. In this story you will read of the great detective’s success in finally rounding up Margate. Then, too, you will also find the usual installment of the serial now running in this publication, together with many other interesting features. * * * * * DO YOU AGREE?