“A young man who comes here once a week, usually Thursday. He travels for a wholesale house.” “Does he always have this room?” “Oh, no, sir.” “Then he does not leave his clothing or toilet articles here?” “He does not.” “How long since has a woman occupied the room?” The clerk pondered a moment. “At least two weeks,” he replied, at length. “It may be more than that.” “That is all for the present,” said Nick. “We’ll come down presently, and look at this Mr. Haynes’ signature on the register. By the way, was it a very stout person?” “On the contrary, he was a very slender man,” replied the clerk. “Mustache?” asked Nick. “Yes, sir, a black mustache.” “Hands large or small?” “Quite small, sir, and sparkling with a fine ring.” “Diamond?” asked the detective. “Yes, sir. The real thing.” “Send in the night elevator boy when you go out,” said Nick. CHAPTER XI. A STARTLING DISCOVERY. The clerk passed out of the room with an offended air. He was loath to leave the presence of the great detective without gaining some notion as to his course of action in the murder case. The elevator boy soon made his appearance, and Nick asked: “You have been on duty all night?” “Yes, sir.” “You carried a slender, dark-faced person up to this room an hour or so ago?” “Yes, sir.” Nick looked at his watch. The hands pointed to the hour of two. “Can you tell me the exact time?” he asked. “It was ten minutes past one when I left the office for the elevator,” was the reply. “Did the person speak to you on the way up?” “Yes, sir,” was the reply. “He asked me about the fire escape and the stairs winding about the elevator well. Seemed afraid of fire.” “About the voice? Harsh or soft?” “Soft and low, sir.” “Yes, yes. And when did that person go down again?” “I don’t know, sir. He did not go down in the cage.” “Did you see the person going down?” “No, sir.” “Did you see him pass through the office?” “No, sir. It was late, and I guess I was asleep in the elevator.” “You saw the young man who came to this room?” “The brown-haired one? Yes, sir.” Nick pointed to the silent figure in the chair at the table. The boy stepped forward and peered into the dead man’s face. “Gee!” he cried, springing toward the door. “Why didn’t you tell me he was dead? Did that other feller kill him?” “That is what we are trying to find out,” said Nick. “Now, when this young man came up in the elevator, did he say anything to you?” “Yes, he asked me if I knew the party in forty-three.” “And you?” “I told him that I did not. I had seen him only once.” “Is that all he said?” “Yes, sir.” “How did he act?” “Queer, I thought. When he stepped out of the cage he turned back again, as if he thought of going back down with me. Once or twice he clutched his left side, up there by the inside pocket.”