sight in an instant. I
wonder if he can keep an eye on that shrewd scoundrel? Pshaw! I am
giving the fellow too much credit. I must leave it to Wilson for to-day
anyway, as I must get through with this Pettingill matter." Half an hour
later he was at head-quarters talking with his assistants.

Meanwhile Wilson followed Mr. Mitchel to Broadway then down to the
Casino, where he stopped to buy tickets; then out again, and down
Broadway to the Fifth Avenue Hotel, which he entered. He nodded to the
clerk, took his key, and passed up-stairs. Evidently he lived there.
Wilson of course had no further definite instructions. From Mr. Barnes's
backward nod, he had understood that he was to shadow this man, and
under the circumstances it was his simple duty to do this until relieved
by further orders. In these days of telephones it is easy enough to make
hurried reports to head-quarters and then continue the pursuit. The
Fifth Avenue is not a promising place in which to watch a man, provided
the man knows that he is being watched. It has three exits--one on
Broadway, and one each on Twenty-third and on Twenty-fourth Streets.
Wilson flattered himself that Mr. Mitchel was unsuspicious, and
therefore whichever way he might leave the building, he would first
return his key at the desk. He consequently kept that point in view. Not
half an hour had elapsed when his man appeared, gave up his key, as
expected, and passed out by the Broadway door. Crossing the Avenue, he
walked down Twenty-third Street, eastward; Wilson followed cautiously,
going through the Park. At Third Avenue Mr. Mitchel climbed the elevated
stairway, and Wilson was compelled to do the same, though this brought
him unpleasantly close. Both men took the same train, Mr. Mitchel in the
first coach, Wilson the last. At Forty-second Street Mr. Mitchel left
the train, and crossed the bridge, but instead of taking the annex for
the Grand Central Depot, as one is expected to do, he slipped through
the crowd to the main platform and took a train going back down-town.
Wilson managed to get the same train, but he realized at once that his
man either knew that he was followed, or else was taking extraordinary
precautions. At Thirty-fourth Street station the trick was repeated, Mr.
Mitchel crossing over the bridge and then taking an up-town train. What
puzzled Wilson was that he could not detect that his man had noticed
him. It seemed barely possible, as they had encountered crowds