an employment agency on Sixth avenue.
They engaged a colored girl as a servant.

"They then came straight here, and the girl followed them. Mr. and Mrs.
Jones have not been out since."

"Are you sure of that?"

"Perfectly. There is no way to get out of that house from the rear."

"How about the fire-escape?"

"There is only that one on the side which you can see. The little yard
back of the house is walled in by buildings."

"So Mr. and Mrs. Jones must be inside?"

"Yes."

"And the girl?"

"She is out. She has been going on errands half a dozen times, but
usually to the grocer's or the butcher's around the corner. I don't know
where she has gone this time. She's been out about a quarter of an
hour."

"All right. I'm going over there."

Nick changed his disguise to that in which Jones had seen him. He did it
in the hall of the flat house, while waiting for the door to be opened
in answer to his ring.

Jones met him on the upper landing.

"Look here," said Jones, when he recognized Nick, "isn't this going a
little too far? What do you want now?"

"I would like to ask Mrs. Jones a few questions if you have no
objections."

"I object very seriously."

"Will you ask her if she is willing to see me?"

"No; I won't."

"Then I shall have to use my authority."

"Don't do that. Come now, be a good fellow. Amy is sick with all this
worry. She's just gone to bed. Let her alone until to-morrow."

"I will," said Nick. "Good-night."

He descended the stairs and rejoined Musgrave, who was standing in a
dark place on the opposite side of the street.

"Have you seen a light in that window?" asked Nick, pointing to the
flat.

"No."

"Then Jones lied to me a minute ago when he said that his wife had just
gone to bed. That window is in the principal bedroom of the flat."

"There's been no light there."

"Then they've fooled you, Musgrave."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that Mrs. Jones is out."

"It can't be possible."

"It's true. She's gone out disguised as her own servant."

"I can't believe it. Why, the girl's black as your hat."

"That's why they engaged her, in my opinion. It made the trick easier. A
black face is a good disguise. But I'm going to be sure about it."

"How?"

"I'm going to see whether the colored girl is in the flat."

"How can you get in?"

"I'm going down the air shaft. The servant's room opens on that shaft.
They'll have made her go in there so that her light won't