to the New York
papers to-day. I want to get that theory of his. It's the servants in
the house who know what is going on. I've got an idea that he'd stumbled
onto something. He'd searched for the revolver, and it wasn't there.
He went back and it was. All that conflicting evidence, and against it,
what? That you'd run away!"

But he saw that Dick was very tired, and even a little indifferent.
He would be glad to know that his hands were clean, but against the
intimation that Beverly Carlysle had known more than she had disclosed
he presented a dogged front of opposition. After a time Bassett put the
papers away and essayed more general conversation, and there he found
himself met half way and more. He began to get Dick as a man, for the
first time, and as a strong man. He watched his quiet, lined face, and
surmised behind it depths of tenderness and gentleness. No wonder the
little Wheeler girl had worshipped him.

It was settled that Dick was to spend the night there, and such plans
as he had Bassett left until morning. But while he was unfolding the
bed-lounge on which Dick was to sleep, Dick opened a line of discussion
that cost the reporter an hour or two's sleep before he could suppress
his irritation.

"I must have caused you considerable outlay, one way and another," he
said. "I want to defray that, Bassett, as soon as I've figured out some
way to get at my bank account."

Bassett jerked out a pillow and thumped it.

"Forget it." Then he grinned. "You can fix that when you get your
estate, old man. Buy a newspaper and let me run it!"

He bent over the davenport and put the pillow in place. "All you'll have
to do is to establish your identity. The institutions that got it had to
give bond. I hope you're not too long for this bed."

But he looked up at Dick's silence, to see him looking at him with a
faint air of amusement over his pipe.

"They're going to keep the money, Bassett."

Bassett straightened and stared at him.

"Don't be a damned fool," he protested. "It's your money. Don't tell me
you're going to give it to suffering humanity. That sort of drivel makes
me sick. Take it, give it away if you like, but for God's sake don't
shirk your job."

Dick got up and took a turn or two around the room. Then, after an old
habit, he went to the window and stood looking out, but seeing nothing.

"It's not that, Bassett. I'm afraid of the accursed thing. I might talk
a lot of rot about wanting to work w