"Nonsense again, Mr. Carter. How could I get to the roof?"

"I'll show you just how it was done. In the first place, you saw me
coming back to the house, and you guessed what I was going to do.

"You went into this room," and Nick dragged Jones into a sort of closet
adjoining the parlor, "and you got out of that window onto the fire
escape.

"That led you to the roof, and the rest was simple. You saw me go down,
and you tried to make me go down farther and a good deal faster. But you
failed, and the game's up. Now come to headquarters again."

"What for?"

"For trying to kill me. That's the charge against you. And I haven't got
through with you on that other matter."

"But for heaven's sake pity my wife!"

"What's the matter with her?"

"She will be crazy when she gets back and finds me gone."

"One of my men will tell her where you are. Why did you lie to me about
her going out? I've a great mind to place her, too, under arrest."

"You can't do it. It's no crime to dodge a detective. I admit that she
did it, but for a very innocent purpose. She has gone to see our
lawyer."