craft
Chesterton was on reached her destination, the firm of Grimes & Morrell
had gone to smash, Morrell was a fugitive, and the papers had ceased to
talk about the matter.

The true explanation of the mystery was now plain. Chesterton said that it
was not himself, but Grimes, who had been successful as an amateur actor.
Grimes had often disguised himself so well as different people that he
might have made something by the art in a "protean turn" on the vaudeville
stage.

Chesterton had known all about the thirty-three thousand dollars belonging
to Morrell & Grimes in the banks. Grimes had hinted to his friend how easy
it would be to sequestrate this money without Morrell knowing it. At
first, evidently, Grimes had wished to use the bookkeeper as a tool.

Then he improved upon his plan. He had gotten rid of Chesterton by getting
him the position at a distance. His going out of town himself had been
merely a blind. He had imitated Prince Morrell so perfectly--after forging
the checks in his partner's handwriting--that the tellers of the two banks
had thought Morrell really guilty as charged.

"So Fenwick Grimes got thirty-three thousand dollars with which to begin
business on, after the bankruptcy proceedings had freed him of all debts,"
said Dud Stone, reflectively. "Yet there must have been one other person
who knew, or suspected, his crime."

"Who could that be?" cried Helen. "Surely Mr. Chesterton is guiltless."

"Personally I would have taken the old man's statement without his
swearing to it. _That_ is the confidence I have in him. I only wished it
to be put into affidavit form that it might be presented to the courts--if
necessary."

"If necessary?" repeated Helen, faintly.

"You see, my dear girl, you now have the whip hand," said Dud. "You can
make the man--or men--who ill-used your father suffer for the crime----"

"But, is there more than Grimes? Are you _sure_?"

"I believe that there is another who _knew_. Either legally, or morally,
he is guilty. In either case he was and is a despicable man!" exclaimed
Dud, hotly.

"You mean my uncle," observed Helen, quietly. "I know you do. How do you
think he benefited by this crime?"

"I believe he had a share of the money. He held Grimes up, undoubtedly.
Grimes is the bigger criminal in a legal sense. But Starkweather
benefited, I believe, after the fact. And _he_ let your father remain in
ignorance----"

"And let poor dad pay him back the money he was