e, and at the end of
twenty minutes he had, with most artistic skill, converted himself into
a startling likeness of his model.

The addition of the garments already provided for him made the
remarkable transformation absolutely complete.

Chick had not been idle meantime, but with equally clever manipulation
had made himself into a counterfeit presentment of Pandu Singe.

The astonishment of the two Hindoos, and their delight as they beheld
the progressive changes so artistically made, could scarcely find
expression in words.

At the end of an hour, when the two detectives stood robed in their
strange Indian attire, one would readily have declared that four genuine
Hindoos, rather than two, occupied the apartment.

Having thus paved the way to his next move, Nick easily prevailed upon
the Hindoos to remain indoors for a day or two, lest the deception
should be discovered and his designs perverted.

He and Chick then returned to their waiting carriage, and half an hour
later it drew up at the Fifth Avenue store of Venner & Co.

Chick alighted and led the way in.

In order that he might do most of the talking, and shape his course by
whatever might occur, Nick had decided to personate the interpreter.

Yet both detectives had carefully noticed the peculiar characteristics
of the Hindoo tongue, and believed that they could imitate it so
cleverly as to prevent detection.

Several facts, which Nick then had no way of knowing, however, operated
very quickly to betray him and the crafty ruse he had adopted, when
Venner personally met them at the store door.

First, Kilgore had shrewdly reasoned that Nick's first move, after the
disclosures made by Pylotte, would be that of thus getting positive
evidence against Venner; and the crafty diamond swindler had warned
Venner to be on the watch for the detective, and to handle him in a way
to serve their own designs.

Furthermore, when visiting the theater with Cervera, Venner frequently
had heard Pandu Singe talking with his interpreter; and before Nick
fairly had begun speaking, Venner penetrated his disguise and saw that
he was up against the two detectives.

Yet, despite the unexpected characters in which he now beheld them, the
nerve of the polished knave did not weaken, nor his countenance in any
way betray him. He at once proceeded to follow Kilgore's instructions.

"Ah! yes, I recognize both you and your interpreter," said he, in reply
to Nick's dignified gre