"She was not in a condition to throw much light upon the affair, being dazed and confused. When she recovers from her temporary stupefaction she may be able to give the police a clew that will lead to the arrest of the man who robbed her."
When Mark read this paragraph he decided at once that Jack Minton, Mrs. Mack's nephew, was the old woman's assailant. Jack had evidently left the city by the first outgoing train, considering that at Niagara he would be safe. So indeed he might have been but for the chance that threw Mark and himself together. So it happened that the telegraph boy held in his hand the clew to the mysterious attack. In his hand probably lay the liberty of Minton.
While Mark was not especially fond of the old woman, he felt indignant with her burly nephew for attacking her, and was clearly of the opinion that he ought to be punished. After a little consideration he decided to call at the office of the local police and put the matter in their hands.
He inquired the way to the police office. A pleasant-looking man in the uniform of a sergeant was on duty.
"Well, young man, what can I do for you?" he asked.
"Please read this paragraph, sir, and then I will tell you."
The sergeant read the newspaper notice attentively.
"The man who I think committed the assault is in a saloon only a quarter of a mile distant."
"But what makes you think he is the guilty party?"
"He has once before visited Mrs. Mack, and tried to extort money from her."
"Because I live in the same house with Mrs. Mack. She occupies the room directly over where my mother and myself live."
"I came on business for a New York jeweler."
"What is the name of the party you suspect?"
"Do you know anything of his character or antecedents?"
"He is a criminal. He has been confined at Sing Sing prison for a term of years."
"That alone is a ground of suspicion. Now how do you know he is here?"
"State the particulars of your interview."
"He recognized me and invited me into a saloon to take a drink."
"I hardly approve of a boy of your age accepting such an invitation."
"I am glad to hear it. I have a son about your age, and I should be sorry to have him drink whisky."
"There is no danger of my doing that," said Mark quietly. "I have a good mother. For her sake, if not for my own, I would not drink liquor."