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 Miss Vallon at home. The janitor said the two ladies had gone away together, and had left word they would be back in two days.

“If ever!” exclaimed Hutchins, when he heard this. He was angry, for he feared that, like Locke, the two women had gone for good and all.

The janitor reassured him, however, saying the two frequently went off for a couple of days, and he was positive they would be back the next day but one.

Hutchins had half a mind to get a warrant and search Pearl Jane’s rooms, but he wasn’t quite sure enough of the credibility of Charley’s story.

At any rate, no one else knew of it, and if he could make the Chinaman keep quiet, and could pledge Glenn to secrecy, the matter could await the return of the two women.

So he told Charley that if he said no word of it all to any one, that probably the lucky piece would be recovered. But if he told—there was no chance of it.

This made the boy promise, and Hutchins believed he would keep his word.

Glenn, too, agreed to be silent, and Hutchins turned his attention to the Barham side of the question for the next forty-eight hours. It was his plan to work from Locke to Mrs. Barham and back again, hoping to get some data on one side that would dovetail with facts on the other.

Glenn slept soundly that night. He was not a heavy sleeper, usually, but after any mental excitement, he felt exhausted, and glad of a good rest.

Though on guard in the house, he was not required to stay awake at night, Dickson deeming it highly improbable that any intruder would put in an appearance.

Nor had any one done so, to Glenn’s knowledge, though Charley’s story of finding money and a note in the desk