Nick quickly disclosed his business.

“We wish to borrow your personalities for a short time, also some of your curious garments,” he explained to Pandu Singe, through his interpreter, who also was a Hindoo of superior education.

The snake charmer appeared greatly surprised at such a request, but Nick readily invented a very plausible story to serve his purpose, without disclosing the true occasion.

He soon persuaded the foreigner to grant his request, moreover, and the amazement of Pandu Singe and the interpreter were redoubled when they beheld what followed.

This was the extraordinary transformation of their visitors.

Nick had already outlined his plans to Chick, and they at once began operations.

First they placed the two Hindoos in chairs near the windows, where the light revealed every peculiarity of their swarthy features.

Nick next adjusted a large mirror upon the table, and placed his make-up box near by.

Using the interpreter for his pattern, Nick then set to work with grease paints, powders, false hair, and the like, 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.