Interprovincial approached as near to geniality as his naturally
suspicious and cynical nature ever ventured. The detective had found
Clayton just preparing to descend the stairs to his train; but he had
come readily enough when the circumstances were explained to him.

"I do hope none of you gentlemen suspect my young friend here in
connection with this inexplicable matter," were his first words as he
stood with a hand on Stiles' shoulder. He spoke earnestly, his grave
eyes searching their faces, one after another. "I haven't known Jimmy
very long, of course; but I know honesty when I see it and I'd stake my
life that he has had no hand in this--this strange disappearance which
I understand has upset you all. May I ask just what the contents of
this satchel were? Was it a sum of money or----?"

"No, no, it's all right, Mr. Clayton," volunteered Nickleby rather
hurriedly,"--just some legal documents which can be duplicated; the
puzzle is why anybody should take them. The delay in connection with
some business matters which their loss will entail is the only thing
that concerned us; but we find that it is not as bad as we thought, and
we regret very much causing you this inconvenience."

Robert Clayton made a gesture of deprecation.

"That's the last consideration, gentlemen," he smiled. "For my own
satisfaction, I would like to state candidly a little about myself.
Under the circumstances it is your right to know."

What he had to say merely substantiated what Jimmy Stiles had told them
already. He was returning from a visit to his uncle on a Western
Ontario farm, and had remained over in the city for a few days on his
way home. While out for a Sunday morning constitutional he had been
attracted to All Saints' Mission by its resemblance to the little
church he attended at home. There he had been welcomed so cordially by
Jimmy Stiles and others that it had been a great pleasure to him.

He described in detail his meeting with Jimmy, and their harmless chat
in the Jessup Grill. He produced his travelling bag and insisted on
opening it for inspection despite the fact that there was no
possibility of confusing its travel-worn leather with the tan satchel.
It contained merely the usual travel accessories, a magazine and a box
of cigars. The latter Clayton insisted upon passing around. He then
produced his business card and chatted for a moment with Alderson about
conditions in the building trade in Pennsylv