stacked the cards with particular care till, so he had thought, all
element of risk had been eliminated. But for this his natural caution
would have deterred him from the attempt. What he had completely
overlooked was the possibility that some one else might decide this was
any man's money who was clever enough to acquire it. Figure as he
might--and he had spent hours in deep thought--even his keen mind had
been unable to solve the situation to his satisfaction. Somebody had
stepped in and walked off with this money in front of his nose in spite
of the most elaborate precautions. Who had done this, and how? It had
been done so cleverly that not a single clue was left for Podmore to
work on--once he had proved beyond question that Clayton had not
double-crossed him. Clayton had taken the first train for Chicago; but
not before Podmore had third-degreed him into abject fear. No, Clayton
had had no hand in it; that was certain, and with that once
established, the identity of the arch-thief remained a mystery which
baffled investigation--especially when the situation called for the
utmost circumspection.

It was a problem which Podmore was forced to solve without consulting
anyone. He could not go boldly to his supposed partners with his
discovery; for thereby he would reveal to Nickleby and Alderson his own
attempt at double dealing. That he had to be very careful what he did,
Mr. Hughey Podmore realized,--very careful indeed. For this mix-up
held many possibilities for personal misfortune. In fact, the
situation suddenly had become fraught with positive danger. There were
moments, therefore, when the cautious Mr. Podmore felt qualms which
though not born of a troubled conscience, were nonetheless
disagreeable. Conscience in the case of Hughey Podmore, if it had ever
existed, had been a stunted affair which because of malnutrition long
since had given up the ghost. Its place had been pre-empted by
Argus-eyed regard for all matters affecting the preservation of Mr.
Podmore's precious epidermis--the safety of his own skin. And Hughey
Podmore was well aware that a large contribution to campaign funds by a
construction company would be a matter of immediate suspicion among
opponents of the Government if it became known. Such things had got
people into trouble before this. It had been one of the things which
had landed the famous Honorable Harrington Rives in jail--and others
who were involved.

Hughey Podmo