tevens' first
visit.

"It was not the real pin, but a duplicate which had been prepared in
advance. Horace had put up that game as a finishing touch for his uncle.

"Mrs. Pond had forced Horace to go for me; but he wouldn't be scared
out. He played the game right under my nose.

"Annie O'Neil had the duplicate pin. She opened that box while Mrs.
Stevens was calling to her daughter, as she testified, and put the
duplicate into it. Then she wrapped it up just as before."

"So I won't have to give up the jewels," said Mrs. Pond.

"I am afraid you will," said Nick; "the queerest part of the story is to
come.

"Chick has found a later will by Miss Lavina Richmond. It is undoubtedly
genuine.

"And where do you suppose it was found? The strangest of all places--in
Horace Richmond's room."

"She died there," responded the colonel. "She must have hidden the will
during her last illness."

"It is strange to think of Horace Richmond struggling with that parrot,
and putting up his elaborate schemes, while the document which would
have given him all he wanted was hidden in his own room."

Horace Richmond's face at that moment was an amusing spectacle.

So was Mrs. Pond's.

"Never mind, daughter," said the colonel. "It is better so. I will make
good the loss to you."

And so ends Nick Carter's ghost story in a most natural manner.

Nobody was ever punished for the affair. Even the gang of mediums and
heelers whom Nick had rounded up were released after their night in
jail, because, on sober second thought, their dupes were ashamed to
complain against them.

THE END.

THE MYSTERY OF ST. AGNES' HOSPITAL

CHAPTER I.

LAWRENCE DEEVER DEMANDS JUSTICE.

"I call it a perfectly plain case, Mr. Colton."

"A case of what?"

"Why, murder, of course."

"Who has been murdered?"

As "Mr. Colton"--who was no other than Nick Carter--asked this question,
his face looked as innocent as a babe's. He seemed surprised to hear
that there had been a murder, though his companion, Lawrence Deever, had
been saying so repeatedly during the last half hour.

Deever now looked at Nick with eyes and mouth wide open.

"Who has been murdered?" he repeated. "My brother has been murdered."

"What makes you think so?" asked Nick, calmly.

"What, indeed!" exclaimed Deever. "I have told you already."

"No, you haven't. You have told me that your brother has been missing
since night before last."

"I told you more than