own life. You will be astonished, Helene, at the revelations of his
operations as shown by his bank-books, a translation of that diary and
some of the letters which I took when I burglarized his rooms. I have
sent a code letter to Phil, advising him to confess all, and that
man's testimony adds to the corroboration. I went down to the District
Attorney with a full statement of the facts, leaving nothing unbared.
Like me, he agreed that it were best to let the law take its course,
demanding the full penalty, and saving the honor of a dozen families
who would have been dragged into the case, had not Warren laid himself
liable by the murder of his confederate, Taylor. That young man was an
electrical genius--with his brains misguided by his equally misdirected
employer. There is no chance of a miscarriage of justice, and Warren had
accumulated so much money that many of the victims of his organization
can be reimbursed in full."

"You have handled all this with a suspicious skill for a lazy society
man, with no experience in such matters."

Shirley understood the subtle sarcasm of the remark, but he proceeded
unruffled, to lull her suspicious.

"I only tried to cover the points which meant happiness and peace of
mind to others. It was merely a matter of common or garden horse sense,
as we call it in America. Warren has been systematically robbing the
rich men of New York for three years, under various subterfuges. No
wonder he could afford such gorgeous collections of art, keeping aloof
from his associates in crime. His treasures, like those in many European
museums were bought with blood. It is curious how a complex case like
this smooths itself out so simply when the key is obtained. And you,
Helene, have been the genius to supply that key: my own work has been
merely corroborative!"

He looked at the delicate features of the girl, remembering with a
recurring thrill the margin by which they had escaped death in the
cellar den of the conspirators.

"Cleary and Dick Holloway told me how cleverly you led the men to the
Somerset where you followed my trail through the mole's passage. It was
a frightful risk for you to take: Cleary should have had more sense and
led the way himself."

Helene's lips pursed themselves into a tempting pout.

"Are you not happier that it was I, at that supreme moment?"

"Indeed I am: success was all the sweeter. There is remaining only one
mystery which I must admit is still unsolved in