ing a
murderer was not to be entertained.

His acting was evidently successful.

"Look here, Cleary," said the doctor, "I don't trust you. There's just
one thing that will satisfy me. You must get away."

The doctor was trembling violently. Evidently fear had taken possession
of him.

"Get away?" asked Nick, as if surprised.

"Yes; I'm afraid of you. You will talk."

"But where shall I go?"

"Go to Australia," said Dr. Jarvis, after a moment's reflection. "You
have no family. It makes no difference to you where you go, so long as
you have money."

"How much money?"

"In that safe," said the doctor, pointing to a steel box in the corner,
"there is enough to start you. I have about five thousand dollars in
cash there, and I will send ten times as much more after you. Is that
enough?"

"You take my breath away," said Nick. "When must I go?"

"At once; to-night."

"But, Dr. Jarvis--"

"Don't talk. Do it. If fifty thousand dollars isn't enough, you shall
have a hundred thousand within six months."

"How do I know that you will send it?"

"If I don't, come back and denounce me."

"But how will you explain my going?"

"I will say that you have gone to Europe for me as you did go three
years ago."

Nick shook his head.

"Dr. Jarvis," said he, "I've worked for you twenty years, and I think as
much of you as of any man living, but I can't do this."

"Why not?"

"I can't shield a guilty man."

"Nonsense, you idiot; I am as innocent as you are."

"Then why do you send me away? No, Dr. Jarvis, this is plain to me. You
killed him."

"I killed him?" cried the doctor.

"Yes; but you are not a murderer at heart. Some accident led to this.
Tell me how it happened, and if it is as I think, I will go."

"I tell you I am innocent. I had nothing to do with this man's
disappearance."

Despite all Nick's ingenuity, Dr. Jarvis stuck to this assertion. There
was nothing left for Nick, in the character of Cleary, except to pretend
to believe it.

He resolved to accept the doctor's bribe. This was almost necessary, for
in any case he would be obliged to remove Cleary.

After this conversation, it would not be safe to leave the negro there.
The doctor would, of course, discover that some trick had been played
upon him as soon as he mentioned the events of the night to Cleary.

The results which would follow such a discovery Nick wished to avoid.

He, therefore, with great caution, accepted the proposal, a