“The knowledge she displayed certainly points to some such move on Badger’s part, and adds to our grounds for suspicion,” continued Nick. “She had me well marked in some way, there is no denying that. Furthermore, the fact that she warned me to drop the perilous business I was about to undertake, predicting that I should meet only with failure, points plainly to a possibility that they were taking that method to influence me to drop the case.” “Gee whiz!” exclaimed Patsy. “That now looks dead open and shut, Mr. Carter.” “It certainly is significant.” “I’ll bet you landed right in the midst of this gang of road thieves. In that case, Nick, the rest of our work should be easy,” Chick quickly remarked. “It should be child’s play for us to round them up.” Nick thoughtfully shook his head. “I’m not so sure of that, Chick,” said he. “We as yet have no tangible evidence against them, and nothing less will serve us in a court of law,” replied Nick. “That’s true.” “Our theory is built chiefly upon trivial circumstances, all of which are significant enough, I’ll admit, and sufficiently numerous to warrant considerable suspicion. But we must secure more positive evidence before we can take any decisive action against these suspects.” “I guess that is right, Nick.” “We ought to get the evidence easily enough, if we really have located the crooks,” declared Patsy. Nick Carter laughed again, with a glance at the eager eyes of the youthful detective. “That one word, really, is quite important, Patsy,” said he. “It is barely possible that we are mistaken, at least in part, if not entirely so. Circumstantial evidence is never wholly trustworthy.” “I’ll bet you are right, sir, for all that,” insisted Patsy, with abiding faith in Nick’s shrewdness. “I shall first make sure that I am,” said Nick, “by taking some step to confirm my theory. As for securing the evidence with which to convict these rascals, Patsy, that may not be done as easily as you think. If they become wary, fearing that we suspect them, they not only may drop the business entirely for a time, but may also cover their past tracks so cleverly as to conceal the evidence that we require.” “I hadn’t thought of that, sir.” “It’s too true for a joke, Nick, and we cannot be too careful and crafty at the outset,” Chick gravely put in, now taking the measure of the case quite as clearly as Nick himself. “What do you intend doing?” “Personally, Chick, I am going down to State Street this morning, and see what I can learn about Badger. Then I am going up to police headquarters and return these documents to Chief Weston. He loaned them to me that I might learn what lines of investigation his men have followed.” “Do they appear to have accomplished anything?” “Nothing more than to note in detail the facts of the various robberies,” smiled Nick. “Not one of them has hit upon a rational clue.” “Is there anything you want us to do while you are thus engaged?”