brows went up. "What do they want?" he asked coolly.

"Search me!" said Alfred shrugging. "They're in a way about something."

"Anything new?"

"Uh-huh. Hilton says they got another letter from the blackmailers."

Evan being human, could not but feel certain stirrings of curiosity.
"Very well, I'll come with you," he said.

They left a furiously unsatisfied Miss Sisson behind them.

Evan and Alfred rode up-town together on the bus. Alfred was no less
silky and insinuating than in the beginning, but whereas at first he
had been genuinely candid, he now only made believe to be.

"He's been warned off me," thought Evan.

The conversation on Alfred's side consisted of a subtle attempt to
elicit from Evan what had happened the day before, and on Evan's side a
determination to balk his curiosity without appearing to be aware of
what he was after.

The Deaveses, father and son, were in the library. Before he was well
inside the room the latter flung out at him:

"Where have you been all morning?"

Evan instantly felt his collar tighten. His jaw stuck out. "I don't
know as that is anybody's business but my own," he said.

They both opened up on him then. Evan could not make out what it was
all about. But his conscience was easy. He could afford to smile at
the racket. Finally George Deaves got the floor.

"Will you or will you not describe your movements this morning?" he
demanded.

"I will not," said Evan coolly.

"What did I tell you? What did I tell you?" burst out the old man.
"Send for the police!"

Evan's temper had already been put to a strain that morning. It gave
way now. "Yes, send for the police!" he cried. "I'm sick of these
silly accusations. I owe you nothing, neither of you. My life is as
open as a book. I make a few dollars a week by honest work, and that's
every cent I possess in the world. Satisfy yourselves of that, and
then let me alone!"

"Papa, be quiet!" said George Deaves severely. "I will handle this."
To Evan he said soothingly: "There's no need for you to excite
yourself. I've no intention of sending for the police--yet."

"Well, if you don't, I will!" said Evan. "I'll tell them the whole
story and insist on an investigation!"

George Deaves wilted at the threat of publicity. Evan, in the midst of
his anger thought: "Lord, if I _were_ guilty this is exactly the way I
would talk! How easy it would be to bluff them!"

George Deaves said: "I hope you won't