"He keeps this place all of the time," said Drew, jabbing at the button. "He's down on furlough or Government business. Nice place, this," he added as the inner door-lock clicked and he thrust his foot forward. "Looks like about two hundred a month. This is exclusively bachelor!"
"Them bachelor apartments," said Delaney with candor as he glided into the hallway. "Them places like this ain't what they seem. There's some big parties pulled off in them. I remembers----"
"Sisst!" warned Drew, clutching the operative's arm. "Easy," he whispered. "Come on. Somebody is waiting upstairs for us. See his head in the light by the banister. Same chap, ain't it?"
"Nice house," commented Drew as his feet sank in a deep-blue hall carpet. "Good ornaments and fixtures throughout the place. Nice house! Just about what I'd expected. Here we are. I'll do the talking."
A blond pompadour, under which was a pair of wide gray eyes that blinked at them, greeted the two detectives as they turned the last landing. A thick-lipped mouth, in which was considerable strength and determination, opened and revealed a double row of strong, young teeth that would have delighted an Army recruiting sergeant.
"Well, what do you gentlemen want at this hour of the morning?"
Drew squared his shoulders and pressed Delaney back a foot or more.
The gray eyes widened perceptibly. The lids dropped in heavy calculation. "Who are you?" the young man asked point-blankly. "I don't believe I ever had the pleasure of meeting either of you gentlemen." Nichols glanced into Delaney's leaning face which was just over his chief's shoulder.
"No, you haven't," said Drew softening his tone. "We've never met, but we may see considerable of each other. Here's my card!"
Nichols took the card, tilted it to the light from the open door, then dropped it into the right-hand side pocket of his lounging robe beneath which blue pajamas showed.
"Come in!" he said without committing himself. "Come in, and take off your hats. I've only two rooms and a bath, here."
Drew stepped upon heavy rugs and crossed the chamber to a chair. He turned this, removed his hat, and sat down with his legs thrust outward. His eyes roamed the place in slow calculation. Dark, old masters, which were probably good in their day, stared down at him. A little globe, petticoated in soft silk, gave a yellow light to the walls and floor. It brought out Nichols' features in sharp, actinic shadows. Drew continued his searching glance. A bed, with tossed coverlet and sheets, loomed from an inner room. A table, upon which was an officer's cap and gloves, stood between two doors that were closed. One of these doors, Drew concluded, was the bathroom entrance, the other might have been a closet. His eyes fastened finally upon a telephone upon a dark-wood stand. He lifted his chin.