as well as the doorkeeper could make it out from
memory."

"How about the door-keeper?" asked Deaves.

"Above suspicion, I should say. Has been with the club for twenty
years. A simple soul hardly capable of acting a part. He would hardly
have told me that he put my letter in the rack himself."

"Other servants then?"

"There were several boys on duty in the hall, but they are not supposed
to go to the letter-rack without orders. If one of them had looked
over the letters it could scarcely have escaped notice. No, unpleasant
as it is to think so, I am afraid it was one of the members--someone
who was counting on the fact that I never appear at the club except for
an important meeting or a dinner. I looked over the members in the
clubhouse, honest-looking men--but who can tell?"

"No doubt the one who got the money left immediately," suggested Evan.

Hassell said to Deaves: "With your permission I should like to take the
matter up with the Board of Governors."

"No, no, if you please," said Deaves nervously. "No publicity."

"Then allow me to put this list in the hands of a first-class detective
agency. Those fellows are secret enough."

"Let me attend to it if you please."

Hassell handed over the list with manifest reluctance; "If anyone uses
my name again I trust you will let me know promptly."

"You may depend on it," said Deaves, making for the door.

"By the way, how did you like my pictures?"

"Very pretty, very pretty," said Deaves uneasily. "I don't know
anything about such things. My wife buys everything for the home."

"Ah!" said Hassell with ironical eyebrows.

"I will tell her about them."

"Thank you," said Hassell, bowing them out.

George Deaves didn't say much on the way home, but Evan was aware that
his attitude had changed. There were no more accusations. Clearly
Deaves had been impressed by the fact that the interview with Hassell
had turned out exactly as Evan had foretold.

Simeon Deaves was still shuffling around the library in his slippers.
"Well?" he demanded.

His son briefly told him what had occurred.

The old man was in a very bad temper. "Yah! let him pull wool over
your eyes!" he cried. "All a pack of thieves together! Artists never
have any money! And this one knows more than he lets on. He's too
smart by half! You mark my words!"

"Please go outside," the much-tried George said to Evan. "Wait in the
hall."

Evan obeyed with a shrug. Outside