“Where were you this afternoon, Molly?” asked Nick. “Right here.” “All the time?” “I never left the place. I have been here all day.” Nick turned to his assistant. “Take the men away,” he said. “Be careful how you handle them, for they are a bad lot. See them locked up at headquarters, and then return.” “That looks like you wanted these rooms for an office,” grunted Hall. “And when you get to the street,” continued Nick, turning to Chick, “send two policemen here to guard these rooms. Station them at the outer door there.” Hall turned away with an oath and went back to his wrecked barroom. After a short talk with his chief, which was not heard by the others, Chick went away with the prisoners. Nick waited until the policeman arrived; then, leaving Carrie in charge of one of them, he called Molly aside. “Where is Hall’s money?” he asked. The angry woman refused to answer. Nor would she tell anything about the whereabouts of Hughart. CHAPTER XXVI. NICK TAKES A CHANCE. Finally there came a knock on the door. Nick opened it and looked out. Chick stood there. “They are landed, all right,” he said. Nick drew him aside. “In five minutes’ time,” he said, “release Carrie, and see that she leaves by the side door of the saloon. I will be there to pick her up. Then leave the policemen here to guard these rooms, and take Molly to the house. This place may have to be searched later.” “Unless I am very much mistaken,” said Chick, “a couple of those crooks are watching about the place. You may have company if you follow Carrie.” “So much the better,” replied Nick. Five minutes later Carrie emerged from the side door of the saloon and turned toward the East River. At the same time a man in a modest suit of dark brown whirled into the side street and moved along rapidly, whistling and swinging a cane as he walked. Two men standing across the street followed along in the shadows. The detective’s disguise was a good one. He had turned his reversible suit, removed his false mustache, washed the convivial red from his cheeks, and lined his face just a trifle, in order to make himself look older and thinner. No one who had seen him at Hall’s place would have recognized him now. He passed Carrie at a swinging pace and turned at the next corner. There he waited in a convenient doorway for her to pass. As she did so, the two men crossed to the north side of the street, upon which the girl was walking, and followed on behind her. Nick crossed to the south side of the street, and walked along in silence, keeping abreast of the girl. “This is rather a chestnut,” he mused, “releasing a suspect and following after, and Carrie may not go to Hughart. Yet she is not a very wise person, and I am sure that Molly told her to communicate with him.”