“Should he close in on Rich and his pals and take the chance of discovering the needed evidence against them?” “No, I won’t do that,” the detective muttered, as this question flashed through his mind. He turned and wended his way uptown. It was seven o’clock when he halted in front of the Studio Building. Some force seemed to impel him to enter. He did not go near the elevator; but he walked upstairs to the top floor. He strolled along the hall and stopped in front of the door of Rich’s room. No light shone through the transom. Were the conspirators out? Carter knocked. No one came to the door. “They must have gone out,” he muttered. At the same time he pulled a skeleton key out of his pocket and inserted it in the lock of the door. Two quick turns of the key and the bolt of the lock slipped back. Carter entered the room, and struck a match. As the flame flickered up, and after he had looked around, he uttered an exclamation of surprise. Around him were all the evidences of hasty flight. The birds had flown. Carter lit the gas. Then he was able to make an inspection. A look of chagrin rested upon his face as his eyes wandered around the room. The furniture belonging to the room of the building was not disturbed. The floor was strewn with rubbish. After the detective recovered from his surprise he commenced to make a search of the apartment. He rooted among the scraps of paper on the floor in the hope that he would find something of value. He made no discovery. Every bureau drawer was gone through. Nothing. At last Carter made a search of the two closets. Result? Nothing. He stood in the center of the room thinking. His eyes wandered around. Was there any evidence in that room? He asked the question over and over again. He was confident that his search had been most thorough. But had it been? Was there not some place about that room which contained evidence, and which had escaped the eagle eyes of the visitor? Carter suddenly started. “The fireplace!” he ejaculated, and he sprang forward. At that moment his eyes had fallen on some soot which covered the carpet in front of the fireplace. What did this indicate? He had not examined the fireplace! Down upon his knees he fell in front of the grate. Up into the chimney he thrust his hand and arm. The next instant he pulled out a large bundle. A cloud of soot fell down, and the detective was covered with it. He paid no attention to it. All of his thoughts were on that bundle, which he carried over to the center of the room. Slowly he unwound the wrapper. Then a long ulster was disclosed. Carter shook out the folds. A black slouch hat and a false beard fell to the floor. Was it any wonder that the detective’s hands shook as he gazed upon and held this evidence? He examined the ulster. Down the front were a number of dark stains. Upon the right sleeve was a large dark splash as large as a man’s hand.