ck had been too good a one for him to
take any chances. He did not wish to scare his bird off ere he had him
bagged. He walked away and waited for Tom to appear. The man, however,
for some reason or other remained in his rooms, and our hero at length
muttered:

"All right, I have him treed. I can put my hand on him any time."

Oscar walked away and proceeded to Broadway, and having another matter
on hand which he was quietly shadowing he went to a noted private
clubhouse. He entered and lounged for some time around the parlor. His
keen eyes were wandering around in restless glances--not that he was
directly looking for anything, but it was a habit, and as it will be
demonstrated it was a useful habit in a man of his profession. He
observed two strangers enter the assembly-room and later go with a club
member to the cafe. This was not an unusual incident, and possibly might
have passed off as intended by certain parties but for one fatal error.
Just as the men passed through a doorway the clubman turned and took a
measuring glance at our hero. The keen detective noted the fact which to
him was significant, and he muttered:

"Hello! what does this mean?"

Oscar's mind acted rapidly. He reviewed all the facts. He had just
entered the club; he had come from a close "shadow;" two men entered
immediately after him; he had never seen either of the men in the
clubhouse before; they addressed one of the members and the three passed
from the general sitting-room, but not until the clubman had taken a
suggestive glance at our hero, and this latter fact was very
significant--it meant something. Oscar did not recognize the club
member. He had seen him, however, several times in the clubhouse, and
was satisfied that the man was really a member. But who were the other
two men, and why had they directed attention toward him? This was the
question at that moment. Oscar retired to one of the private club-rooms.
He wrought a marvelous change in his appearance. It was one of the most
magical transforms ever attempted, and having worked the change he
descended to the cafe. In the club our hero was not known as a
detective. He was registered there as a matter of business, and had
adopted but one initial, taking his middle name, so that under no
circumstances would Woodford Dunne and Oscar Dunne be recognized as the
same person. The club to him was a convenience for "fly" purposes. Once
in the cafe he saw the two men and the club member s