o tell me--such things are
apt to be on a confidential basis. Anyhow, I'm glad you're safe, Mr. Grouch,
and I hope your troubles are over."

"They will be when you give me back my $30,000," said Grouch.

"Your what?" demanded Holmes, with well-feigned surprise.

"My $30,000," repeated Blank, his voice rising to a shout.

"My dear Mr. Grouch," said Holmes, "how should I know anything about your
$30,000?"

"Didn't your--your man take it?" demanded Grouch, huskily.

"My man? Really, Mr. Grouch, you speak in riddles this evening. Pray make
yourself more clear."

"Your reformed burglar, who broke open my safe, and--" Grouch went on.

"I have no such man, Mr. Grouch."

"Didn't you send a man to my house, Mr. Raffles, to break open my safe, and
take certain specified parcels of negotiable property therefrom?" said
Grouch, rising and pounding the table with his fists.

"_I did not!_" returned Holmes, with equal emphasis. "I have never in my
life sent anybody to your house, sir."

"Then who in the name of Heaven did?" roared Grouch. "The stuff is gone."

Holmes shrugged his shoulders.

"I am willing," said he, calmly, "to undertake to find out who did it, if
anybody, if that is what you mean, Mr. Grouch. Ferreting out crime is my
profession. Otherwise, I beg to assure you that my interest in the case
ceases at this moment."

Here Holmes rose with quiet dignity and walked to the door.

"You will find me at my office in the morning, Mr. Grouch." he remarked, "in
case you wish to consult me professionally."

"Hah!" sneered Grouch. "You think you can put me off this way, do you?"

"I think so," said Holmes, with a glittering eye. "No gentleman or other
person may try to raise a disturbance in my private apartments and remain
there."

"We'll see what the police have to say about this, Mr. Raffles Holmes,"
Grouch shrieked, as he made for the door.

"Very well," said Holmes. "I've no doubt they will find our discussion of
the other sinners very interesting. They are welcome to the whole story as
far as I am concerned."

And he closed the door on the ashen face of the suffering Mr. Grouch.

"What shall I do with your share of the $30,000, Jenkins?" said Raffles
Holmes a week later.

"Anything you please," said I. "Only don't offer any of it to me. I can't
question the abstract justice of your mulcting old Blank for the amount,
but, somehow or other, I don't want any of it myself. Send it to the Board
of Fo