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 disclosures. Anyway, Glenn decided, that was all he could make of it.

He called up Hutchins but failed to get him, and he went to bed that night with one ear alert, hoping “Misser Locke” would pay another call.

But his hopes were not fulfilled, and next day he told Hutchins of Charley’s story.

“I know,” Hutchins said, staring at Glenn. “There’s something else doing, too. It seems Henry Post and that Miss Vallon have each had a letter from Locke. They were ready enough to tell of it, ready, too, to give us the letters. But, confound it, how has that chap the nerve to stay around here”

“A letter doesn’t mean he’s around here.”

“No, nor does a telephone call. But if he put that money where Charley says he did, he must be in this vicinity.”

“Oh, I don’t believe the Chink. Locke sent him that money by postal order or something like that”

“That’s neither here nor there, anyway. The point is, that apparently Locke has no intention of returning to this place at all. Now, if that is so, he’s staying away because he is guilty. If he were an innocent man, why wouldn’t he return and help straighten things out? I can’t see it any other way than that Locke did know Mrs. Barham, and did kill her. His very coolness and nerve in writing letters and telephoning and all that, proves the possibility, the probability of his being just the sort who would commit a murder, and then walk out the front door, saying, ‘Back in a minute.’”

“That’s all so,” and Glenn tried to look wise. He was an humble underling, and he was secretly elated at being thus talked to by the great Hutchins.

“Of course it is,” Hutchins went on. He was really only