own position secure, so the story
went, than Simeon Deaves set himself to work to undermine Warrender,
and in the end ousted him from his railway and ruined him.

This tale had none of the finesse and humour of that written by the
blackmailers; it was simply abusive. Yet Maud had not so far forgotten
herself as to show her hand. The facts were such as many persons
beside herself might have been aware of.

Evan painstakingly compared the sheets of the story with the paper
Josefa had given him. Every typewriter, save it is just from the
factory, has its peculiarities. There was enough here to make out a
case: "e" was badly worn and had a microscopic piece knocked off its
tail; "a," "w," "s" and "p" were out of alignment; there was something
the matter with "g," so that the following letter generally piled up on
top of it.

In short, Evan held in his hands positive evidence of Maud Deaves'
treachery. But upon consideration he decided not to put it before her
husband at least for the present. In the first place, he didn't relish
taking the responsibility of breaking up the Deaves family, and in the
second place it was clear that the woman was only a tool in the hands
of a rascal far cleverer than she. To deprive him of his tool would
not break up the rascal's game; he could get another. Therefore Evan
decided to keep his discovery to himself, and use it if possible to
land the principal in the affair.

He considered whether he should have the desk at the Madagascar watched
with a view to apprehending "Mr. Frelinghuysen" when he asked for his
letter, but decided against that also. So clever a fox would hardly be
likely to walk into so open a trap. He would send an innocent agent
for the letter, while he watched in safety. On the whole it seemed
best to do nothing that might put him on his guard, but to wait until
he attempted to use his story, for a chance to land him.

He procured another envelope, had the hotel stenographer address it,
and, sealing up the manuscript, carried it back to the Madagascar and
handed it in at the desk "for Mr. Frelinghuysen," careful to choose a
different clerk from the one who had given it to him.

It must have been called for shortly afterwards and acted upon at once.
Next morning, when Evan arrived at the Deaves house, the story was
already back there. The customary violent family conference was in
progress in the library. Evan guessed from their expressions that his
name