reproachfully. "I do not know the habits of the criminal classes, but as
you say, and I fear I must convey the gist of your speech to the
officers of the law, money has been missed from your department for a
considerable time. As to your accuser, acting as--ah--as a good citizen
and performing the duties which are associated with good-citizenship, I
cannot reveal his, her, or their name."

She was eyeing him curiously with a gleam of dormant laughter in her
clear eyes. Then she heard a hurried footstep in the little passage and
remembered that the door had been left open and she looked round.

The new-comer was Dr. van Heerden.

"What is this I hear?" he demanded fiercely, addressing White. "You dare
accuse Miss Cresswell of theft?"

"My dear doctor," began White.

"It is an outrage," said the doctor. "It is disgraceful, Mr. White. I
will vouch for Miss Cresswell with my life."

The girl stopped him with a laugh.

"Please don't be dramatic, doctor. It's really a stupid mistake. I
didn't know you knew Mr. White."

"It is a disgraceful mistake," said the doctor violently. "I am
surprised at you, White."

Mr. White could not close his eyes any tighter than they were closed. He
passed the responsibility for the situation upon an invisible Providence
with one heaving shrug of his shoulders.

"It is awfully kind of you to take this interest, doctor," said the
girl, putting out her hands to him, "it was just like you."

"Is there anything I can do?" he asked earnestly. "You can depend upon
me to the last shilling if any trouble arises out of this."

"No trouble will arise out of it," she said. "Mr. White thinks that I
have stolen money and that that money is hidden in the flat--by the way,
who told you that I had been accused?"

For a moment he was taken aback; then:

"I saw the police officers go into your flat. I recognized them, and as
they were accompanied by White, and you had been dismissed this morning,
I drew my own conclusions."

It was at this moment that the detective came back from the bedroom.

"There's nothing there," he said.

Mr. White opened his eyes to their fullest extent.

"In the bottom drawer of the bureau?" he asked incredulously.

"Neither in the bottom drawer nor the top drawer," said the detective.
"Have you found anything, Fred?"

"Nothing," said the other man.

"Have a look behind those pictures."

They turned up the corners of the carpets, searched her one little
bookcas