nd Chick, in a different disguise, waiting for them.

Jarvis acted like a man in a trance, he was so thoroughly overpowered by
the horror of his situation. In his room, he seemed to forget the
presence of the two detectives. He flung himself down upon his cot, and
appeared to sink almost instantly into a stupor.

After a word or two with Chick, Nick made his way back to the little
group around the dead body.

"Get a carriage up to the wall," said Nick, "and remove the corpse to
your house. I will see a coroner, and get the necessary permit. I will
be answerable for the removal in advance of the permit."

In spite of Deever's distrust of Nick, the great detective's manner,
when he spoke with decision, was such as to secure instant obedience.

The body was carried to the wall; two men were left to guard it, while
Deever, with Klein, went for the carriage.

Nick separated himself from the party. He did not go to see a coroner,
however. He went to Lawrence Deever's house, which he entered secretly,
and searched from top to bottom, but without finding anything of
interest.

Then he went to his own house, where he waked Patsy.

"Go to Lawrence Deever's country-house near Nyack," he said to his
youthful assistant. "Watch it, and see that no man leaves it."

Morning was breaking as Nick secretly entered St. Agnes' Hospital, and
made his way to Dr. Jarvis' room.

He pushed the door open softly, believing that the doctor would be still
asleep, and Chick on guard.

The room was empty.

Nick was at first amazed, and then he reflected that it was quite
possible that some disclosure of the prisoner had led Chick to accompany
him in search of evidence.

He passed out into the laboratory. It was darker at this hour of dawn
than at midnight with the moonlight in it.

The sheeted figure still lay upon the slab. Was it a body obtained in
the usual way, under the sanction of the law, or had it a criminal
history? Nobody knew better than Nick the secrets that may lurk in the
dissecting-room.

With such thoughts, he paused a moment beside the body. He was about to
lift the sheet in order to satisfy some doubts which still lingered in
his mind when he was attracted by a slight noise in the cellar.

He quickly stepped to the head of the stairs. Certainly there was some
person below.

Nick cautiously descended the steps. The electric lights were not
shining, but the furnace sent up a glow in which the surrounding objects
w