For the first time Miss Langdon had a pistol in her possession with her initials, “E. L.,” engraved on the handle. Her room-mate said Estelle explained that she bought the pistol to shoot cats, which annoyed them, at nights, from the back yards. To prove her sincerity, she had gotten up in the night, and fired a shot at a serenading feline. Ida’s report was not what Nick hoped it might be, but just as she went out Chick came in, and he brought news that made Nick’s eyes glisten. “I’ve run down my man,” said Chick, in a tone of satisfaction, after being introduced to Mrs. Lock and told by Nick to go ahead. “Let us hear about it,” urged Nick, eagerly. “Just as you thought he would, Gay returned to the Borden Building about eight o’clock. “He went up to his office, and came down in disguise. “Had it been in day-time, I should never have thought the old chap was Gay.” “The old chap?” “He was disguised as an old man.” Nick instantly recalled the circumstance of the old man who had inquired of the elevator-boy for the offices of Bridgely & Byke. The detective had no doubt now that Gay had returned to the building in that disguise, and got into Byke’s private office, where he had been hidden all day, hearing and seeing that which went on in Redway’s office. “I followed him to a room on the Bowery. He was in that room about twenty minutes. When he came out, he was again in disguise, but the nature of the masquerade this time made my task of identification easy.” “What was it this time?” “An almost perfect counterpart of Victor Redway as you described him to me. “He had a cab waiting at the sidewalk. I suspected that the cab was there for his use, and I had one ready to follow. He lost no time in getting over to Brooklyn. I didn’t lose him _en route_. “He drove to a house on Atlantic avenue, and went in. When he came out, he had a little girl with him whom he handed into the cab, got in after her, and was driven away.” “A little girl!” gasped Mrs. Lock, with a hand pressed to her heart. “The original of the picture in Redway’s watch,” said Chick. “Oh, Heavens! My child--Estelle!” “Do not get excited, Mrs. Lock,” cautioned Nick. “The little girl will not be harmed, and will be safely in your arms in good time.” “But, sir, she is in his hands--in the hands of a murderer.” “He will not harm a hair of her head. She is too important for the successful carrying out of his plans.” “Well, disguised as Victor Redway, he had no trouble in getting the little girl away from the people in whose charge her father had placed her. “He had, evidently dogged Redway’s steps and thus found out the girl’s hiding-place after you confided your story to him.” “What does he intend to do with her?” “Hide her away till Redway shall be out of his path. Then make her the price of your marriage to him.” “I have the hiding-place located,” said Chick. “Where is it?” “On Ninth avenue, with Granny Grimes.”