it has
no possible bearing on the case of Mr. Crawford, may I ask of you to
respect my desire that you say nothing about it?"

"For my part," said the district attorney, "I am quite willing to
grant Mr. Hall's request. I have put him to unnecessary trouble and
embarrassment by having him arrested, and I shall be glad to do him this
favor that he asks, by way of amends."

But Mr. Randolph seemed reluctant to make the required promise, and
Fleming Stone looked at Hall, and said nothing.

Then I spoke out, and, perhaps with scant courtesy, I said:

"I, for one, refuse to keep this revelation a secret. It was discovered
by the detective engaged by Miss Lloyd. Therefore, I think Miss Lloyd is
entitled to the knowledge we have thus gained."

Mr. Randolph looked at me with approval. He was a good friend of
Florence Lloyd, and he was of no mind to hide from her something which
it might be better for her to know.

Gregory Hall set his lips together in a way which argued no pleasant
feelings toward me, but he said nothing then. He was forthwith released
from custody, and the rest of us separated; having arranged to meet that
evening at Miss Lloyd's home to discuss matters.

XXI. THE DISCLOSURE

Except the half-hour required for a hasty dinner, Fleming Stone devoted
the intervening time to looking over the reports of the coroner's
inquest, and in asking me questions about all the people who were
connected with the affair.

"Burroughs," he said at last, "every one who is interested in Joseph
Crawford's death has suspected Gregory Hall, except one person. Not
everybody said they suspected him, but they did, all the same. Even Miss
Lloyd wasn't sure that Hall wasn't the criminal. Now, there's just
one person who declares that Hall did not do it, and that he is not
implicated. Why should this person feel so sure of Hall's innocence?
And, furthermore, my boy, here are a few more important questions. In
which drawer of the desk was the revolver kept?"

"The upper right-hand drawer," I replied.

"I mean, what else was in that drawer?"

"Oh, important, valuable memoranda of Mr. Crawford's stocks and bonds."

"Do you mean stock certificates and actual bonds?"

"No; merely lists and certain data referring to them. The certificates
themselves were in the bank."

"And the will--where had that been kept?"

"In a drawer on the other side of the desk. I know all these things,
because with the lawyer and Mr. Philip Cra