Nick Carter did not hurry to arrive at the suburban residence of Mr. John Madison. He hardly expected, in fact, to find him at home before early evening; but he wanted to see him when he did arrive.
It was close upon six o’clock when Nick entered a gate leading into the extensive side grounds, and dusk then had deepened into darkness.
Only a single light was to be seen in the imposing wooden dwelling, and that shone out faintly through the glass walls of a large conservatory attached to the house. It came from a window beyond the projecting hothouse.
“That don’t look as if many of the family are at home,” thought Nick, stepping lightly over the gravel walk that wound between the trees of a park and led to a side door of the house.
“It may be that only his wife and children are here, th
