Following a Chance Clew

Nick Carter read the sign over the jeweler's store on Eighth Avenue and stopped to glance critically at the place. He noticed that the "e;regulator"e; indicated midnight. His thoughts flew back to another midnight earlier in the week, when Lusker's store had been cleaned out by burglars. The robbery had been charged to a mysterious crook known as Doc Helstone, who was supposed to be the leader of a clever gang of lawbreakers. Nick had been asked to break up this gang, which had baffled some of the best men of Inspector McLaughlin's staff. A proposition had been made to him that day, and he had promised an answer on the morrow. Probably he would have decided to refuse the job, for he had a lot of work on hand; but, as he strolled up the avenue on that September night, an adventure was waiting for him which was to alter his purpose, and set him upon the track of a remarkable scoundrel."e;