at can be done?" asked Miss Carwell.

"I don't know," LeGrand Blossom frankly admitted. "You may call in an
expert, if you like, to go over the books; but I don't believe he would
come to any other conclusion than I have. As a matter of fact, I bad a
somewhat selfish motive in looking into your father's affairs of late.
You know I was thinking of going into partnership with him, and--and--"
He did not finish.

Viola nodded.

"Perhaps I might say that he was good enough to offer me the chance,"
the young man went on. "And, as I was to invest what was, to me, a
large sum, I wanted to see how matters were. So I examined the books
carefully, as your father pressed me to do. At that time his affairs
were in good shape. But of late he had lost a lot of money."

"Will it make any difference to us?" and Viola included her aunt in her
gesture.

"Well, you, Miss Carwell," and Blossom nodded to the older lady, "have
your own money in trust funds. Mr. Carwell could not touch them. But he
did use part of the fortune left you by your mother," he added to Viola.

"I don't mind that," was her steady answer. "If my father needed my
money he was welcome to it. That is past and gone. What now remains to
me?"

"Very little," answered LeGrand Blossom. "I may be able to pull the
business through and save something, but there is a lot of money
lost--spent or gone somewhere. I haven't yet found out. Your father
speculated too much, and unwisely. I told him, but he would pay no heed
to me."

"Do you think he knew, before his death, that his affairs were in such
bad shape?" asked the dead man's sister.

"He must have, for I saw him going over the books several times."

"Do you think this knowledge impelled him toto end his life?" faltered
Viola.

LeGrand Blossom considered a moment before answering. Then he slowly
said:

"It was either that, or--or, well, some one killed him. There are no two
ways about it."

"I believe some one killed him!" burst out Viola. "But I think the
authorities have made a horrible mistake in detaining Mr. Bartlett," she
added. "Don't you, Mr. Blossom?"

"I--er--I don't know what to think. Your father had some enemies, it is
true. Every business man has. And a person with a temper easily aroused,
such as--"

LeGrand Blossom stopped suddenly.

"You were about to name some one?" asked Viola.

"Well, I was about to give, merely as an instance, Jean Forette the
chauffeur. Not that I think the Frenchm