m to think this was a mere
impertinence on my part," he said. "Let me tell you a thing or two."
And he briefly described to her the course of his experiences since
leaving the shop on Friday evening, but omitting the fact that he was
lodging just across the street.

"There's something mighty unpalatable going on," he said. "At first I
thought Mifflin was the goat. I thought it might be some frame-up for
swiping valuable books from his shop. But when I saw Weintraub come in
here with his own latch-key, I got wise. He and Mifflin are in
cahoots, that's what. I don't know what they're pulling off, but I
don't like the looks of it. You say Mifflin has gone out to see your
father? I bet that's just camouflage, to stall you. I've got a great
mind to ring Mr. Chapman up and tell him he ought to get you out of
here."

"I won't hear a word said against Mr. Mifflin," said Titania angrily.
"He's one of my father's oldest friends. What would Mr. Mifflin say if
he knew you had been breaking into his house and frightening me half to
death? I'm sorry you got that knock on the head, because it seems
that's your weak spot. I'm quite able to take care of myself, thank
you. This isn't a movie."

"Well, how do you explain the actions of this man Weintraub?" said
Aubrey. "Do you like to have a man popping in and out of the shop at
all hours of the night, stealing books?"

"I don't have to explain it at all," said Titania. "I think it's up to
you to do the explaining. Weintraub is a harmless old thing and he
keeps delicious chocolates that cost only half as much as what you get
on Fifth Avenue. Mr. Mifflin told me that he's a very good customer.
Perhaps his business won't let him read in the daytime, and he comes in
here late at night to borrow books. He probably reads in bed."

"I don't think anybody who talks German round back alleys at night is a
harmless old thing," said Aubrey. "I tell you, your Haunted Bookshop
is haunted by something worse than the ghost of Thomas Carlyle. Let me
show you something." He pulled the book cover out of his pocket, and
pointed to the annotations in it.

"That's Mifflin's handwriting," said Titania, pointing to the upper row
of figures. "He puts notes like that in all his favourite books. They
refer to pages where he has found interesting things."

"Yes, and that's Weintraub's," said Aubrey, indicating the numbers in
violet ink. "If that isn't a proof of their complicity, I'd