"I was just thinking of that; yes, sir, it is."
"I think that you will find that to be the explanation. Mr. Carter."
"Are there any final instructions that you would like to give me, sir?"
"I can think of nothing more now."
"Does anybody know that you sent for me?"
"No. I wrote the letter myself, and dropped it into a box with my own hand."
"But of course I was seen to come here. If Mustushimi's system is anything like as perfect as it was before, he already knows that I am here."
"That, Mr. Carter, is why I showed some surprise when you came here so openly."
"I did it purposely, Mr. President."
"Why?"
"Because I guessed at once why you wished to see me, although you did not mention it in your letter--and because, now that I see I was right, I want Mustushimi to know that I am on his trail."
"That strikes me as being a new method of pursuing a secret investigation."
"It is, in one sense. But this case is different from any other."
"How so?"
"If Mustushimi has remained here, and we are practically certain that he has done so, he has hedged himself around with safeguards so perfectly that it would be difficult, if not next to impossible, to get a trace of him by ordinary methods. If he did not suspect that I was hereafter him, he would simply remain under cover as he is doing now, taking no extra precautions. But if he believes that I am after him, he will undertake some extra precautions at once, for he holds me in wholesome respect, and it is by those very precautions that I will be able to get first trace of him."
"That is an original way to look at it. Perhaps you are right. Put what do you suppose he will do, in the way of taking extra precautions?"
"I think he will try to put me out of the way," said the detective, smiling.
"Do you mean that he will attempt to assassinate you?"
"Exactly that."
"And that you purposely invite such a thing?"
"Certainly."
"But, Mr. Carter, isn't that rather foolhardy?"
"No; I don't think so. My object is to get him to show his hand. If his system is as perfect as we think it is, he knows already that I am here, and that I am holding an interview with you. He fears me, as he fears nobody else. He has had a taste of what I can do to him, I hope this does not sound like egotism. I don't mean it so."
"Not at all."
"And therefore, since I am here again, he will guess at once that you have suspected his presence and have sent for me, and he will figure it out that the only way to be safe is to get rid of me."
"But will he dare to attempt to assassinate you in the streets, or-"
"No. He will figure out to have me killed, so that my death will appear to be accidental."
"You speak of it as coolly as if you were referring to a third party."
"I am-in a sense; for he will not succeed. Forewarned is forearmed, you see. And it will be through just such an attempt as I have outlined to you, that I will be most likely to get directly upon Mustushimi's track."
"You are a strange fellow, Mr. Carter."
"Not so strange, perhaps, as you suppose. I only try to put myself in the place of the other fellow when I can, and look at what is happening from his point of view."
"All right, Mr. Carter. Conduct the matter as you please. I know that you will be successful; and that is all we desire."
CHAPTER III.
NICK CARTER CONVEYS AN IMPORTANT SIGNAL.
The interview, as recorded, took place in the early evening, for the detective had arrived in Washington at six o'clock, and had repaired at once to the Arlington Hotel, where he registered and took a room under his own name, and where he made no effort at all to conceal his identity.
After that, he had taken dinner, and then, a little before eight, repaired to the White House, where the President was awaiting him.
It was half-past nine when he came out again, and walked slowly across Lafayette Square toward the hotel; and he was not surprised-in fact, he smiled rather broadly-when he noticed at once that he was followed.
As he issued from the White House grounds, he noticed that a man was loitering near the cast end of the square, and another near the western end of it. Still another had been on the White House side of the avenue and had started to walk rapidly in his direction, the instant he appeared; and through the trees in the square, he could see that there was still another, while he had not a doubt that there was one or two more around him somewhere, ready to take up the trail if they should be called upon to do so.
"Mustushimi does me too much honor," he murmured to himself. "He has probably put his best men onto me already. Good!"
He continued on his way across the square, as if he was entirely unobservant of these things, but he was keenly on the alert all the time lest one of the spies should approach too close to him and that he did not desire; for it would be an easy matter, in such a case, for one of them to stick a knife into him, or fire a bullet into his body, or attack him in some manner, before he could have an opportunity to defend himself.
But the paths across Lafayette Square are wide, and well lighted, and he could see in all directions almost as plainly as if he had been on the avenue itself; and the men who were keeping him in view remained at a respectful distance-and so, presently, he passed into the entrance of the hotel and seated himself in the office of it, having lighted a cigar.
And then, across the floor from toward the desk, there approached a certain senator from the West[1] who had been active in that other case to which reference was made in his talk with the President-the senator whose identity Nick had assumed for a time in order the better to work out his case at that time.
"Hello, Carter," he said, dropping into a chair near the detective, after shaking hands. "I happened to see your name on the register, and asked if it was indeed you. Finding that I was not mistaken, I have waited to see you."
"That is kind of you, senator," replied the detective.
"Fact is, I really wished to see you, Carter."
"Yes? That is kinder still."
"I wonder if I would be trespassing on private grounds if I asked why you are here, Mr. Carter? I don't want to be impertinent, but if it happens to be anything about that other affair in which we were actually interested-"
"I am assured, senator, that I may rely upon your discretion, so I will admit that it is."
"I guessed it, Carter."
"Did you? Why?"
"Because I happen to know that Mustushimi is still in the city of Washington."
"Are you sure of that?"
"Yes."
"What makes you so sure?"
"I have seen him."
"When?"
"Not an hour ago; in fact, only a few minutes before I discovered your name on the register of this hotel."
"That was rather an odd coincidence, senator," said the detective dryly.
"Yes; if it was a coincidence-which I am inclined to doubt."
"Why?"
"Because it struck me that my seeing him and hearing of your presence at the same time would argue that he was around this neighborhood because he had been told of your arrival."
"I think there is no doubt of that. Where did you see him?"
"I almost ran into him directly in front of the Lafayette Square opera house."
"At what time, if you can tell me exactly?"
"An hour and a quarter ago."
The detective nodded. He knew that it was at the time when he was with the President.
"The fact is, Carter," continued the senator, "the sight of him brought you to my mind, and I came over here at once, purposely to ascertain if you were in town, if I could do so. I saw your name on the register, and then I remained here until your return to warn you."