tly wonderful things, the explanation
was absurdly simple. A conjurer's most marvellous tricks are generally
the easiest.

"How foolish of us not to have thought of this before," Chris said,
thoughtfully. "At any rate, we know all about it now. And we know who
bought the cigar-case so promptly returned to Lockhart's by Henson. I
should like to see this Rawlins."

"You have got to find him first," said Littimer.

"I'm going into Moreton Wells again to-morrow to make inquiries,"
said Chris.

But she was saved the trouble. Once more the ever-blessed telephone stood
her in good stead. She was just on the point of starting for Moreton
Wells when Steel called her up. Chris recognised him with a thrill of
eager pleasure.

"You need not be afraid," she said. "You can speak quite freely. How is
Van Sneck?"

"Very queer," David responded. "Bell hoped to have operated upon him
before this, but such a course has not been deemed quite prudent. The day
after to-morrow it will be, I expect. Henson has found out where Van
Sneck is."

"Indeed. Has he been to see you?"

"He has been more than once on all kinds of ingenious pretences. But I
didn't call you up to tell you this. We have been making inquiries at
Walen's, Marley and myself. The time has come now to let Marley behind
the scenes a bit."

"Did Walen's people know anything about the tall American?"

"Oh, yes. A tall American with a thin beard and a faint suggestion of
small-pox called about a week before the great adventure, and asked to
see some gun-metal diamond-mounted cigar-cases--like the one in
Lockhart's window."

"Did he really volunteer that remark?"

"He did, saying also that Lockhart's were too dear. Walen's hadn't got
what he wanted, but they promised to get some cases out of stock, which
meant that they would go to the same wholesale house as Lockhart's and
get some similar cases. As a matter of fact, one of Walen's assistants
was sent round to study the case in Lockhart's window. The cases were
procured on the chance of a sale, but the American never turned up again.
No notice was taken of this, because such things often happen to
shopkeepers."

"And this was about a week before the night of the great adventure?"

"Yes. Wait a bit. I have not quite finished yet. Now, once I had
ascertained this, an important fact becomes obvious. The American didn't
want a cigar-case at all."

"But he subsequently purchased the one returned to Lockhart's shop."