seated beside his
sister-in-law on a couch. The two were talking earnestly together
until he interrupted them, as though they had taken an instant liking
to each other.

"Excuse me if I don't get up," apologized Krech from the deep chair in
which he was sitting. "I'm anchored."

The handsome Angora had found him, and as though to mark his
approbation of another animal as fine as himself, had leaped into his
lap and curled up contentedly beneath his caressing hand. Despite his
words, Krech put him down and rose immediately when Simon indicated
that he did not propose to join them. He followed the tanner into the
house and accosted him in the hall.

"I'd like to see the window where that burglar got in last night," he
said. "Got a minute to show me?"

"Very well. In this way." They went into the sitting room and Varr
spoke on the way of his recent activities in the tanning yard, a piece
of foresight that Krech instantly applauded. "This is the window; it
was either pushed open by main force, or the catch was pressed back by
some tool."

"The last is it," announced the big man promptly. "See here where the
paint has been broken near the lock and the brass of the bolt is
scratched? It's a cinch to open these things--a child could do it with
a penknife."

"You have sharp eyes," admitted Varr grudgingly. "I hadn't noticed
those scratches on the brass."

"Oh, I've helped Creighton on his cases any number of times, and of
course a man soon gets the trick of observing the least thing out of
the ordinary. Smaller marks than those scratches have hanged many a
man, Mr. Varr."

"What a cheerful thought!" exclaimed a laughing voice behind them.
They turned and found Mrs. Krech, with Miss Ocky at her elbow. "What
are you two talking about hanging for? Herman, I came in to look for
you; we're just leaving."

"All right, Jean; I was just giving Mr. Varr my celebrated imitation of
an expert criminologist!" He did not proceed further until he had
glanced questioningly at his host, who gave permission with a nod and a
shrug. "Some one broke in here last night and staged a burglary; I
didn't tell you before because I didn't know how far it was being kept
secret."

"Can't keep secrets in this place," grunted Simon. "I gave up trying
long ago."

"Have the police any idea who did it?"

"The police! My dear Mrs. Krech, it's evident that you don't know much
about country constabulary. I wasted no time telling