ruth, I hope to
marry her. A charming girl, monsieur; and innocent as a dove."

"Why does she send her trunks here?"

"Ah, that I do not know. It was not agreed upon."

"Have you any idea what is in them?"

"Her wardrobe. Ah, she is extravagant. She buys many dresses. But then,
what would you have? When one is young and beautiful--"

Gaspard finished his sentence with a sweep of the arms.

"They are heavy," said Nick, lifting one of the trunks and setting it
crosswise on a lounge.

He took a bunch of keys from his pocket. Gaspard seemed aghast.

"You would not open it?" he cried.

"Perhaps it won't be necessary," said Nick. "This may answer."

He drew a knife from his pocket and opened one of the blades, which was
sharpened like a very large nut-pick.

With a sudden movement, he struck this into the bottom of the trunk, and
then withdrew it.

A dark red stream followed the blade when it was withdrawn. The end of
the trunk projected over the side of the couch, and the red fluid
dripped upon the carpet.

"My God!" exclaimed Gaspard. "It is blood!"

"So it would seem," said Nick, quietly.

He set the trunk upon the floor and snapped back the lock with a
skeleton key.

Then he threw open the lid and revealed a mass of excelsior and scraps
of newspapers.

This being torn away disclosed a dead and ghastly face--the face of
unfortunate Corbut, the waiter.

CHAPTER VIII.

TRACING THE TRUNKS.

Corbut's body had been cut in two. Only half was in the trunk which Nick
had opened.

The other half was not, however, far away. It was in the other trunk.

Both trunks contained considerable blood, but they had been neatly lined
with rubber cloth, apparently taken from a rubber blanket and a man's
heavy waterproof coat.

It was so fitted that the trunks, when closed, were water-tight.

"The neatest job I ever saw," said Nick. "Come, Gaspard, tell the
story."

"I swear to you," cried Gaspard, "that I know nothing about it."

At this moment Patsy rapped on the door. He had brought back Harrigan.

"Come in!" said Nick; and they both entered.

"Holy mother!" shrieked Harrigan, when he saw the open trunks. "So help
me, gentlemen, I don't know nothing about this business. I ain't in it.
I'm tellin' yer straight. Youse don't believe I had anything to do wid
this, do yer?"

"You brought the trunks here," said Nick.

"Lemme tell youse all about it," cried Harrigan, who was so anxious to
tell that he