"From the circumstances disclosed by Maynard, however," added Nick, "I
am inclined to think that these rats have very carefully covered their
tracks, and that a still hunt for their trail may prove to be our stunt.
Yet you had better go along with me."

"I'm ready when you are, Nick."

"Very good. Come on, Mr. Maynard. I see you have a carriage at the door.
We will not delay even for lunch, but will snatch a bite later."

Together the three men left the house, and it was precisely one o'clock
when Nick was ushered into the private office of Venner & Co., where the
two members of the firm then were seated, apparently still engaged in
discussing the audacious robbery.

Mr. Rufus Venner, it may be here stated, was a man of about forty years
of age, and was a very well-known man about town. Darkly handsome, with
an erect and imposing figure, an _habitué_ of the best clubs, a man
still unmarried, yet of whom hints were frequently dropped that he was
very popular with the fair sex, whom he was known to lavishly entertain
at times--this was the senior member of the firm of Venner & Co., and
the man who, quickly arose to greet Nick Carter and Chick when the two
detectives entered.

"Your clerk has already given me the main facts of the case, Mr. Venner,
so we will dispense with any rehearsal of them, and get right down to
business," Nick crisply observed, immediately after their greeting.
"There are a few questions I wish to ask you, and concise replies may
expedite matters."