't look at it properly," he answered; "the most important thing
incidental to the discovery of the money is the fact that its effect
will be to substantiate Winters's statement."

I looked at him inquiringly, and seeing I did not comprehend, he
explained.

"White evidently took all the money with him, carelessly stuffed in the
outside pocket of his ulster, when he went out that night and he might
easily have dropped one of the bills in the vestibule: such being the
case, Winters's statement that he found it there becomes not only
reasonable, but probable."

I saw the force of this at once, and was rejoiced at it: but at the same
time I was more perplexed than ever by the situation it disclosed.

"If White," I asked, expressing my doubts to Miles, "took all the money
out with him that night, as you say, what motive remains to explain the
murder?"

"We have got to find a new motive," he answered, "and when we do find
it, I am much mistaken if it does not disclose a deeper planned scheme
and a cleverer hand than we have anticipated."

My interest was keenly aroused and I was ready at once to enter into the
new aspect of the case, but Miles would not have it so.

"Wait till to-morrow, Mr. Dallas," he said; "you are tired, and had
better seek some amusement this evening," and bidding me good-bye, he
left me.

I recognized the virtue of his advice and acted on it, for after all
enough had been done for one day.

CHAPTER IX

A CLUE AND A CONFERENCE

A week had elapsed since the happening of the events related in the last
chapter, and I sat with Littell and Van Bult in one of the private rooms
of a quiet downtown restaurant, where we had been lunching together by
my invitation.

For some time past I had seen little or nothing of these two friends.
Van Bult had been off again somewhere, and I had been too busy to look
up Littell, for my whole time and attention had been given to
investigation of the White case: but now being at the end of my
resources I had summoned them to this gathering that I might advise with
them.

I must advise with somebody, and it seemed to me that these two were the
most available. They were necessarily interested in the case and more or
less familiar with the facts, and besides they were both cleverer than
the average of men, while one of them at least was an experienced and
astute lawyer.

I felt, therefore, or perhaps only hoped, that where Miles and myself
had come to a h