Upon reaching the city, Denman started down town and entered a building occupied by a foreign importing horse.

The detective was at his wit’s end.  He was anxious to overhear what passed between the master of the “Nancy” and the members of the firm.  In a moment his decision was made, and it was founded on a cunning line of reasoning.

Our hero entered the store just as the private office door closed behind Denman.

A gentleman came forward and demanded the seeming countryman’s business, and the detective asked to see one of the members of the firm, calling him by name, leaving learned the same from the sign over the door.

“He is busy,” was the answer.

That was just the answer the detective had expected, and it was in anticipation of such an answer that he boldly walked in and ventured the inquiry.

“When will he be at leisure?”

“It is hard to tell.”

The clerk knew Denman and suspected that it was private and important business that had brought the master of the “Nancy” to New York.

“I wish to see him particularly.”

“Cam I not attend to the business for Mr. M——?”

“No sir; I must see Mr. M——­ personally.”

“Can you call again?”

“I will wait.”

“He may be engaged a long time.”

“I cannot help it, I must see him to-day, and it does not make much difference; I am in no hurry, I can wait as well as not.”

The clerk walked away and our hero edged toward the office situated at the rear of the store, and seated himself upon a case of goods, resting directly against the office partition.

A glass casing only separated the detective from the members of the firm and the master of the “Nancy,” and he could overhear all that passed.

The clerk meantime was busy in the forward part of the store, and paid no heed to the stupid-looking countryman.

Spencer Vance was well repaid for his risks.  He overheard the names of several firms, and got down facts which made it a dead open and shut case.

At length he recognized that the conference was about reaching a conclusion, and he came another sharp trick.

CHAPTER XXX.

As our readers have discerned, the detective had no desire to see the member of the firm whom he had asked for; it had been merely a game to gain an opportunity to listen to what occurred between the capitalists and the master of the “Nancy.”

When Vance saw that the conference was about terminating, he walked to the front of the store, and said: 

“I will not wait; I will call in again.”

“If your business is important you had better wait.  He can not be engaged a much longer time.”

“I will call again.”

“Very well.”

The detective walked out.  He had “coppered” all he required for the time being.  He took up his position a short distance from the store, and awaited the reappearance of Denman upon the street.  He was not compelled to wait very long, as the master of the “Nancy” soon appeared, and the detective fell upon his trail.