DETECTIVE NICK CARTER'S CASES - 7 Book Collection: The Great Spy System, The Mystery of St. Agnes' Hospital, The Crime of the French Café, With Links of Steel, Nick Carter's Ghost Story…. John R. Coryell

Nick had an idea of letting him do it, and then attempt to secure a true statement of the case with the aid of the shock which the doctor would have sustained on discovering how he had been duped.

      But second thought showed him the necessity for a different procedure.

      From Cleary’s window he signaled for Chick, who was in waiting near the wall, and to him he delivered the unconscious form of the negro.

      Then he returned to take his leave of the doctor—a difficult business, which he managed with great skill.

      This done, he secretly left the hospital.

      What had been the true meaning of the night’s events? It puzzled him to say.

      Was the body on the slab that of Patrick Deever, or had the doctor gone through in his sleep the act which he intended to perform later with the real body?

      Nick thought that the latter was more probable. He was inclined to believe that the body of Deever might be concealed about the building. If so, he would find it.

      Reflecting thus, he passed outside the hospital walls.

      Three men were approaching along St. Nicholas avenue. Two of these he quickly recognized as Chick and Lawrence Deever. The other was unknown to him.

      Evidently Chick had sent Cleary away in a carriage which they had kept waiting near the hospital during the evening. How he had met Deever, Nick could not guess.

      He went forward to meet the three men.

      He had removed the disguise in which he had deceived the doctor, and was now as Deever had seen him before.

      Deever recognized him at once, and started forward, saying:

      “You ask for proof of my brother’s death. I will give it to you. Here is a man who saw him buried.”

      And he pointed to the stranger.

Chapter IV.

       What Was Found in This Garden

       Table of Contents

      Nick received Deever’s startling intelligence with every evidence of satisfaction.

      “You are doing great work, Mr. Deever,” said he. “We shall soon have this affair straightened out.”

      As Nick pronounced these words he signaled to Chick in their sign language as follows:

      “What do you think of this witness?”

      Chick promptly returned the answer:

      “He seems to be telling the truth.”

      Then Deever turned toward the new witness.

      “Mr. Haskell, Mr. Colton,” said he, in hasty introduction. “Now, Haskell, tell what you know.”

      “Wait,” said Nick, “who is this man?” And he pointed to Chick.

      “He’s a fellow that knows my brother. We met him just below, and brought him along to help in the identification. There are two more coming.”

      “Then you purpose to disinter your brother’s body at once?”

      “Of course I do.”

      “You have no tools.”

      “The others will bring them. That’s what they’re after.”

      “Where is the place?”

      “The hospital garden. Haskell, tell your story. But, no; I’ll tell it for you to save time.”

      He took Nick by the arm and led him along the hospital wall on the southern side of the ground. They followed the wall in the direction of the river, until they came to the corner.

      Between them and the river was a large piece of ground nearly as wild in appearance as it was a hundred years ago. Many trees and bushes grew upon it.

      “This place,” said Deever, “is a sort of lovers’ walk. Any pleasant evening in summer you can see dozens of couples walking down that path.

      “Haskell was here Monday evening with a young lady. They sat for a while on the trunk of a fallen tree, looking off toward the river.

      “It was nearly eleven o’clock when Haskell walked home with her. Then he discovered that he had lost his knife. He had been whittling the tree-trunk with it.

      “It was a good knife, and he thought it worth while to go back and try to find it. He went back, and after quite a hunt, found it beside the tree.

      “By this time it was after midnight. On his way home he passed the spot where we are now standing.

      “Just as he got here, he heard a peculiar noise on the other side of the wall. It seemed strange that anybody should be at work in the garden at that hour, but the sound was as if somebody was using a shovel.

      “Haskell has more curiosity than a woman. He resolved to find out what was going on inside that garden.

      “The wall here is pretty high, as you see, but with the help of a piece of board he climbed up so that he could look over. Now, Haskell, tell us just what you saw.”

      Chick and Haskell had come up just as Deever finished his introduction to the story.

      “I saw Dr. Jarvis digging,” said Haskell.

      “How did you know it was he?” asked Nick.

      “He had on his dressing-gown and cap,” Haskell replied. “I guess pretty near everybody who lives up this way knows those things.”

      “What did you do?”

      “I watched him a couple of minutes. He seemed to be hard at work digging a hole. I never thought then that it was a grave.”

      “Could you see how big a hole he was making?”

      “No; he was under the shadow of the trees. I could hardly see him at all there, but just as I got on the top of the wall, he came out for a second or two into the moonlight. Then I saw the old cap and dressing-gown.”

      “Did you see any object lying upon the ground which looked like a body?”

      “No; it was dark under the tree. The body was probably there.”

      “Why do you say that?”

      “Well, it couldn’t have been anywhere else.”

      “How do you know there was any body ?”

      “Mr. Deever has told me about his brother. I take it for granted that the doctor was burying him.”

      “Did you tell anybody about this occurrence?”

      “No.”

      “Why not? It was strange enough.”

      “I didn’t think it was strange for him. Everybody knows that the doctor is a sort of crank. When I saw who it was, I just slid down off the wall and went home. I never would have thought of it again if Mr. Deever hadn’t spoken to me about his brother.”

      “You can point out the spot where the doctor was digging?”

      “Sure.”

      “We will make an examination at once.”

      “I thought you’d find out that murder had been done,” said Deever. “You’ll find out, if you stick to me, that I pretty generally know what I’m talking about.”

      “That’s right,” said Haskell.

      “Here come your friends,” said Chick, who had not spoken up to that time.

      Two men were seen coming from St. Nicholas avenue. They carried