"So it was for Gaspard's interest, in case he really did this job, and lifted some valuable plunder off that woman, to get Corbut out of the way. 

 "Did he pay Corbut to skip first? And is he now identifying Tom, Dick and Harry for the purpose of bothering us and keeping us busy till he can light out?" 

 "It's worth looking into," said Nick. "At any rate, you stick to Gaspard. I'll put somebody else onto Hammond." 

 

 CHAPTER VI. 

 MRS. JOHN JONES. 

 Nothing of great importance occurred in the case until the next afternoon when Nick was at Police Headquarters. 

 He was talking with Superintendent Byrnes. 

 "The identification of that woman gets stronger all the time," said the superintendent. "I'm beginning to think that she is really the wife of our prisoner." 

 "It looks so," said Nick. 

 At that moment a card was brought in. The superintendent looked at it and whistled softly. 

 Then he handed the card to Nick, who read the name. The two men exchanged glances, and both smiled. 

 "Mrs. John Jones," said Nick; "well, this puts a new face on the matter." 

 "It's a great case," was the reply. "I'm mighty glad you happened to be on the scene at once." 

 He turned to the officer who had brought the card, and directed that Mrs. Jones should be admitted immediately. 

 A pretty young woman entered. She was of about the same height as the unfortunate victim of the tragedy in the restaurant, and much like her in build. 

 The faces did not resemble each other in outline, but the coloring was similar. There was a faint resemblance in the large, light blue eyes. 

 The hair was of the same peculiar shade, and nearly as luxuriant. But nobody would ever have mistaken one woman for the other, after a fair look at their faces. 

 The costumes, however, were positively identical. Mrs. John Jones, to all appearances, wore the 

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