g to Montreal, and on boarding the _Flaminian_ Lister was
given the second berth in Vernon's room. Vernon liked Lister.

"Take a smoke," he said, indicating a packet of cigarettes. "Nothing
fresh in the newspapers. They've caught the fellow Porteous; he was
trying to steal across to Detroit."

Lister sat down and lighted a cigarette. Porteous was a clerk who had
not long since gone off with a large sum of his employer's money.

"Canada is getting a popular hunting ground for smart crooks. It looks
as if our business men were easily robbed."

"There are two kinds of business men; one lot makes things, the other
buys and sells. Some of the first are pretty good manufacturers, but
stop at that. They concentrate on manufacturing and hire a specialist to
look after finance."

"But if the specialist's a crook, can't you spot him when he gets to
work?"

"As a rule, the men who get stung know all about machines and material
but nothing about book-keeping," Vernon replied. "A bright accountant
could rob one or two I've met when he was asleep. For example, there was
Shillito. His employers were big and prosperous lumber people; clever
men at their job, but Shillito gambled with their money for some time
before they got on his track. I expect you read about him in the
newspapers?"

Lister smiled and, pushing back his cap, touched his forehead.

"I know something about Shillito. That's his mark!"

"Then you were the man he knocked out!" Vernon exclaimed. "But he hasn't
got your money. Why did you help the police?"

"It isn't very obvious. Somehow, I didn't like the fellow. Then, you
see, the girl--"

"The girl? What had a girl to do with it?"

Lister frowned. He had not meant to talk about the girl and was angry
because he had done so, but did not see how he could withdraw his
careless statement. Moreover Vernon looked interested, and it was
important that both were typical Canadians. The young Canadian is not
subtle; as a rule, his talk is direct, and at awkward moments he is
generally marked by a frank gravity. Vernon was grave now and Lister
thought he pondered. He had not known Vernon long, but he felt one could
trust him.

"I met a girl on board the train," he said. "She was keen about getting
away from Shillito."

"Why did she want to get away?"

"I don't know. Looked as if she was afraid of him. When I first saw her
she was on the car platform and I reckoned she was bracing herself to
jump off. Since we w