quare
with the idea of his guilt.

"By the way," said the suspect, as they descended the stairs, "I forgot
to give you my card."

He handed it to Nick as he spoke, and the detective read this:

MR. JOHN JONES.

ALLEN, MORSE & JONES,
Electrical Fixtures,
_The "Sunlight" Lamp_.

"What did I tell you!" exclaimed Gaspard, who was looking over Nick's
shoulder. "It is the name that was on the register. He is the man."

But Nick took a different view. He was of the opinion that Mr. Jones had
presented very strong evidence of his complete innocence.

Anybody else might have signed himself "John Jones," but the real John
Jones, never!

It would be mighty hard to convince a jury that a man meditating murder
had recorded his correct name for the benefit of the police.

The coincidence was certainly astonishing, but it was in Jones' favor.

They walked over to the office of Allen, Morse & Jones.

Mr. Allen was there.

"Good-morning, Mr. Allen," said Jones, "My name has got me into trouble
again."

"How is that?"

"Did you read about that French restaurant murder last night?"

"Well, I glanced at the story in one of the papers."

"This Frenchman here is a waiter in the place. He saw me in an elevated
train just now, and told this other man, who is a detective, that I was
the party who took that woman to the restaurant.

"That was bad enough, but when they found out what my name was, they
convicted me immediately. It appears that the visitor to the restaurant
signed the very uncommon name of John Jones on the books."

"Why, what the devil!" exclaimed Allen, looking wrathfully at poor
Gaspard, who was shaking in his shoes. "Don't you know that this is a
serious matter? What do you mean?"

"He is the man," cried Gaspard. "If I were dying, I would swear with my
last breath that he is the man."

"But who's the woman?" asked Allen, turning to Nick. "And what has she
to do with my partner?"

"That I cannot say," replied Nick; "she has not been identified."

"Then you have absolutely nothing to go upon except this fellow's word?"

"Nothing."

"Why, this is nonsense."

"Perhaps so," said Nick, "but you will admit that I would be false to my
duty if I did not make an investigation."

"Investigate all you wish," laughed Jones. "But don't bother me any more
than you have to. This is my busy day."

"I'm going right away," said Nick. "All I want of you is that you will
give me your address, and meet me