-"

"Brencherly!" Gard's heart missed a beat. He stopped short. He felt the
mysterious dread from which he had suffered to be shaping itself from
the darkness of uncertainty. "Show him in," he ordered, and, turning to
the window, gazed blindly out, centering his self-control. "Well?" he
said without turning, as he heard the door open and close again.

"Mr. Gard," came the quiet voice of the detective, "I've a piece of
information, that, from what you told me the other day, I thought might
interest you. I have found out that Mr. Mahr is making every effort to
find out the combination of Mrs. Marteen's private safe."

"What!"

"Yes. I learned it from one of the men in the Cole agency. Mr. Mahr
didn't come to us. I'm not betraying any trust, you see. It was Balling,
one of the cleverest men they've got, but he drinks. I was out with him
last night, and he let it out; he said it was the rummiest job they'd
had in a long day, and that his chief wouldn't have taken it, but he had
a lot of commissions from Mahr, and I guess, besides, he gave some
reason for wanting it that sort of squared him. Anyhow, that's how it
stands."

"Have they got it?" Gard demanded.

"No, they hadn't, but he said they expected to land it O.K. They know
the make, and they've got access to the company's books, and the
company's people, and if she hasn't changed the combination lately,
they'll land that all right. I tried to find out if they'd put anyone
into the apartment, but Balling sobered up a bit by that time and shut
down on the talk. But it's dollars to doughnuts he's after something,
and they've put a flattie around somewhere. Of course I don't know how
this frames up with what you told me about young Mahr, but I thought you
might dope it out, perhaps."

Gard sat down before his writing table, and wrote out a substantial
cheque.

"There, Brencherly, that's for you. Thank you. Now I put you on this
officially. Find out for me, if you can, if they have put anyone in the
house. Find out what they're after. Anything at all that concerns this
matter is of interest to me. Put a man to shadow Balling; have a watch
put on anyone you think is acting for Mahr. I will take it upon myself
to have the combination changed. I'll send a message to Mrs. Marteen."

Brencherly shook his head. "If you do that they'll tumble to you, Mr.
Gard. It's an even chance Mr. Mahr would have any messages reported. He
could, you know; he's a pretty important stockh