but, as it happens, you are partially right. This
was not a forgery in the ordinary sense. Those are Pennington Lawton's
own words before you, in his own handwriting."

"Then how--" the young lawyer inquired, in a bewildered tone.

Henry Blaine smiled.

"You do not intend to specialize in criminal law, do you, Mr.
Hamilton?" he remarked whimsically. "If you do, you will have to be
up in the latest tricks of the trade. The man who forged this
letter--the same man, by the way, forged the signature on that
mortgage--accomplished it like this: He took a bundle of Mr. Lawton's
old letters, cut out the actual words he desired, and pasted 'em
in their proper order on the letter paper. Then he photographed this
composite, and electrotyped it--that is, transferred it to a
copperplate, and etched it. Then he re-photographed it, and in
this way got an actual photograph of a supposedly authentic
communication. There is only one man in this country who is capable
of such perfect work. I know who that man is and where to find him."

"Then if you can locate him before he skips, and make him talk, you
will have won the victory," Ramon exclaimed, jubilantly.

But the detective shook his head.

"The time is not yet ripe for that. The man is, in my estimation, a
mere tool in the hands of the men higher up. He may not be able to
give us any actual proof against them, and our exposure of him will
only tip them off--put 'em on their guard. We needn't show our hand
just yet."

"What's the next move to be, then?" the young lawyer asked. "I don't
mean, of course, that I wish to inquire into your methods of handling
the case--but have you any further commissions for me?"

"Only to accompany me to-morrow morning to the office of Charlton
Moore and let me examine that note which Mr. Lawton presumably gave
two years ago. Afterward, I have four little amateur detectives of
mine to interview--then I think we'll be able to proceed straight to
our goal."

The note also, as Henry Blaine had predicted, proved to be a forgery
and to have been executed by the same hand as the letter.

[Illustration: With the cunning of a Jimmy Valentine he manipulated the
tumblers. Ramon Hamilton, his discomfiture forgotten, watched with
breathless interest.]

The detective betrayed to the unsuspecting banker no sign of his
elation at the discovery, but following their interview he returned to
his office and sent for the four young girls whom he had taken fr