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 mine if found. But I couldn’t find it—so I secretly left a note for Charley asking him to search for it.”

“But you went down again—in your Locke disguise, and had a set to with the man Glenn—and lost your wig!”

Andrew Barham couldn’t repress a slight smile at the recollection and only replied, “Yes, I did.”

“What did you go for?”

“I don’t care to tell you.”

“Then I’ll tell you. You went for the picture of Miss Cutler. You secured it, and brought it home with you, and it is now in your desk drawer at home.”

Andrew Barham looked a little surprised, but he said, “Since you know that, I will tell you that I did do so. I will tell you, too, that I do care for Miss Cutler, and I hope some day in the future to tell her so in person. But I want to say that not only did I never hint this to her during the life of my wife, but I did not realize it myself. It is only since my series of troubles began, that I have learned the state of my own heart, and I will say to you two men in confidence, that I do love Pearl Jane Cutler, but I will ask you to respect my secret, for the present, at least.”

Andrew Barham was so quietly dignified, so truly frank, that the two men who listened felt a renewed respect for him, and Lane hastily revised certain of his decisions.

Nick Nelson merely grasped once again the hand of his friend, and there was no need of words between them.