"What is it, boy?" demanded the other, with a slight start at being accosted so unexpectedly.
"I want to see you about that piece of bric-a-brac you broke at the auction store up on Nausau street."
The man's face reddened, and he looked confused.
"I don't--don't know what you are talking about," he stammered.
"Oh, yes, you do," returned Matt coolly. "You tried to let the blame fall on a young lady, but it won't work. You must go back, explain matters, and settle up."
"I'll do nothing of the kind!" blustered the red mustached man. He had recovered from his first alarm. "I know nothing of the affair you have in mind. I have not been near an auction store to-day--for a month, in fact."
"That's a whopper!" exploded Matt. "You were in the place less than an hour and a half ago!"
"Nonsense, boy, you have got hold of the wrong man. Let me go."
"Not much I won't! You are the man, and you can't fool me."
"If you don't let go I'll call a policeman just as sure as my name is Paul Carden."
"I don't care what your name is, you've got to go back and set matters straight."
The man glared at Matt for a moment. Then, without warning, he pushed the boy backward. Matt was standing upon the edge of the steps leading to the insurance office at the time, and he went down with a crash into the wire-netting door, knocking a large hole into it.
Before Matt could recover the man darted down Wall street and around the nearest corner. Matt would have gone after him, but the proprietor of the insurance office came out, and demanded to know what he meant by bursting the wire-netting door in such a rude fashion.
"A man knocked me down the steps," Matt explained. "I hope the door isn't ruined."
"The wire has broken from under the molding, that is all," said the boy. "Let me see if I can't fix it."
He brought out his penknife, and loosened part of the molding. Then drawing the wire back into place, he tacked the molding fast again; and the door was as good as before.
But all this had taken time, and Matt knew it would now be useless to attempt to follow Paul Carden. He looked around the corner, and seeing nothing of the fellow, retraced his steps to Randolph Fenton's establishment.
"Where in the world have you been so long?" demanded Mr. Fenton, as Matt entered the private apartment. "Here I have been waiting an hour for you to deliver a message to Ulmer & Grant. I hire you to be on hand when wanted, Lincoln; not to loaf your time away."