Nick gave no sign of the recognition, however, being content to await developments, and to shape his own course accordingly.

From that moment, however, the name of neither criminal was once mentioned; and Nick was compelled to infer that Venner might indeed be entirely ignorant of their true identity and knavish character.

The eyes of all were upon the detective, as he stood swaying slightly on the floor; and Cervera sharply demanded, with a threatening frown: 

“Well, you vile miscreant, what can you say for yourself?”

“Me?” queried Nick, pretending to pull himself together.  “Nothing at all.”

“I guess that’s right.”

“What should I say?  Why have you got me here, and tied up in this fashion?”

“You’ll soon find out,” cried Cervera, with vicious asperity.  “What were you doing out back of my house?”

“Nothing much,” Nick evasively growled, waiting to learn which way the cat was about to jump.

“Nothing much!” sneered Cervera.  “You’ll find that will not go down with us.”

“I was looking for a chance to sleep in your stable,” muttered Nick.

“You lie, you dog!” cried Kilgore, fiercely.  “You were at the back window.”

“Was I?”

“And your game was to rob me of my jewels,” Cervera angrily added, with her eyes emitting a gleam as fiery as the blazing gems at which she pointed.  “That was your game, you renegade!”

“Do you think so?”

“I know so!”

Nick hoped she did.

“And all I regret is,” added the vixenish Spaniard, “that the bullet of my watchman did not end your villainous life.”

“We can end it now, senora, if you say the word,” put in Matthew Stall, with grim readiness.

Nick never accepted such scenes as this at their face value, for he had witnessed many a similar game of bluff.  This one might be all right and on the level, he reasoned, yet there still existed the possibility that he was recognized, and that these remarks implying the contrary were only a part of some well-laid plan.

“If you think I’m a thief, why don’t you hand me over to the police?” he shrewdly demanded.

The ruse worked.  For a moment Cervera was caught with no ready reply, and Nick promptly decided that he was known, hence could not well be given to the police.

Yet these parties so obviously aimed to hide the fact that he was known to be Nick Carter, that Nick quickly resolved to let them have all the rope they wanted, and to meet them with a counter-move—­that of boldly declaring his own identity, and so disarming them of any misgiving that he had recognized Kilgore and Matthew Stall, or even had any suspicions of Senora Cervera.

It was a very clever counter, and Nick went at it cleverly.

“Why don’t you give me to the police, if you think I’m a thief?” he repeated, when Cervera made no reply.