"But what do you intend doing about this case?" demanded Venner, as Nick abruptly rose to go. "All that can be done, sir," the famous detective bluntly rejoined. "I accept the case, Mr. Venner, and will do my best with it. When I have anything to report, you shall hear from me." "But--" "There really is nothing more to be said, gentlemen, and the sooner I get to work the better," Nick gravely interposed. "But will you advise me of any steps that you may take?" persisted Venner, briefly detaining him by the arm. "Very probably," nodded Nick, though really he probably would do nothing of the kind. "And now good-day, gentlemen. If reporters call upon you, you may give them all of the facts, and state that Nick Carter is at work on the case. I want this Kilgore diamond gang to know at the outset that I am after them--and fully resolved to land them where they belong." "Behind prison bars, eh?" inquired Venner, with an odd smile. "Yes, sir! Behind prison bars!" declared Nick, forcibly. "Again, gentlemen, good-day. You will hear from me later." Mr. Rufus Venner, with his partner at his elbow, stood in the office door and silently watched the two celebrated detectives as they strode quickly through the elegant store, from which they presently vanished into Fifth Avenue. There was a smile of subtle cunning, combined with cruel and malicious determination, on Venner's dark face and he muttered under his breath, as the store door closed upon Nick's imposing figure: "Hear from you later, eh? Very good. Very good, indeed, Mr. Detective Carter! Hear from you again--that is precisely what I want! Early and often, Detective Carter; early and often, if you please! It is precisely for what the little robbery of this April morning was invented!" "But was it necessary--was it really necessary, Rufus?" whispered Garside, who alone had overheard, and whose paler face and tremulous figure betrayed fears which his swarthy senior partner would have scorned to feel. "This Carter is a most artful and discerning man. I am so afraid you have barked up the wrong tree. Was it necessary, really necessary, Rufus?" Venner turned upon him with a half-smothered snarl of contempt. "Bah! You'd be afraid of your own shadow, Garside, if left alone with it," he sneered, between his white, even teeth. "Necessary--of course it was necessary! Otherwise, I should not have adopted the ruse. We are about to attempt a big game--an infernally big game! When it matures, when it is finally launched, the very first concern that finds itself bitten will rush to Nick Carter for aid." "There is no doubt of that, Rufus." "Surely no doubt of it! He is the greatest detective in the country--and the greatest will be none too clever, nor too expensive, for those who find themselves duped by our unparalleled design." "I should say so."