e you any clue yet?"

There was something curiously cold in the woman's voice, as she replied in
the negative. Her husband looked sullen and merely nodded. The sheriff
now rose and came toward the machine. He knew all the young folks and
greeted them briefly. At his heels pressed old Harding and his companion.
They whispered in the sheriff's ear as he advanced, and seemed to be
urging him to something.

"I understand that you folks was in this house yesterday afternoon?" began
the sheriff abruptly.

"Why, yes, during the storm," said Peggy. "There was Lieut. Bradbury, of
the United States Navy----"

Harding and Mortlake exchanged annoyed glances. This was confirmation of
their fears.

"Yes, go on," urged the sheriff.

"And myself, and Mr. Bancroft here and his sister, and later my brother
came."

"Do you recall the safe being opened while you were in the room? I presume
from the remark you made when you drove up that you know of the robbery."

"We heard of it at the Bancroft's, but we don't know the details."

"That is not necessary. Answer my questions, please. Who was in the parlor
beside yourself when Mr. Galloway opened the wall safe to reward the men
who had helped him extinguish the fire?"

"Why, Jimsy--I mean Mr. Bancroft--his sister and Lieut. Bradbury, beside,
of course, Mr. and Mrs. Galloway."

"What! Your brother was not there?"

"Certainly not. He didn't come till later."

"Then your brother didn't see the safe opened?"

"Of course not," struck in Roy. "I was here only a very brief time. But
what does all this mean? I don't understand."

"It means that you are cleared of a grave suspicion," said the sheriff.
"Mr. Harding and Mrs. Galloway's brother, Mr. Mortlake, here----"

"Her brother!" exclaimed Peggy in an undertone.

The sheriff went on:

"Seemed to have an idea that Roy Prescott was here at the time. They even
went so far as to intimate that----"

But old Mr. Harding was tugging frantically at the sheriff's arm. He was
seconded by Mortlake. Interpreting the signals aright, he stopped short.

"In fact, it looked suspicious," he concluded lamely. He turned and went
off, followed by Harding and Mortlake.

"How did you ever come to make such a mistake?" snarled old Harding, as
they walked away much crestfallen, "we haven't a leg to stand on, now."

"Why, confound it all," retorted Mortlake, "my sister mentioned a young
man being with the girl in the aeroplane, and I took it for g