Roger hesitated. "Why--well, in a way, I just take it for granted. That
was what Ern and I talked over before he left. He's better than I at
that sort of thing. He has my power of attorney and signed up the
papers. I haven't gone over this since he got back, I've been so busy."

"You won't think I'm impertinent or nosey, will you, Roger, if I ask you
one more question?" Charley's voice had tones in it like Felicia's and
Roger was very gentle as he answered:

"Nothing pleases me more than to have you show interest in my work,
Charley."

"Well then, let's have a look at those papers."

Roger looked at her curiously. "You think Ernest is as careless as I? He
isn't, and you know I'm careless only because I have such confidence in
him."

Charley nodded. "I know. Just put it down to female curiosity."

Roger laughed and went lazily over to the living tent, returning shortly
with a tin document box. This he unlocked and ran rapidly, then again
carefully, through the papers it contained.

"Ern must have them," he said finally. "Come to think of it, he just
spoke of them but didn't give them back to me. They must be in his box."

"To which you have no access?"

Roger shook his head, still eyeing Charley with undisguised curiosity.

Charley drew a long breath. "Roger, there's something about this deal I
don't like. Ernest is so queer, and Elsa is worried and absentminded.
And every time I try to say anything about Ernest's salesmanship she
takes my head off. And you know what good friends she and Ernest are
normally. They never row each other. But now they're always quarreling
in undertones. I would think Ernest was sore about Elsa and Dick's
engagement if Ernest hadn't told me before her and Dick that he thought
Elsa was foolish but that he washed his hands of the matter."

"Nevertheless that's probably what the worry is about," said Roger.

"No, it's not," very decidedly. "This noon they were at it again, in the
kitchen, while I was in my bedroom. I tried not to hear them but all of
a sudden Ernest shouted, 'I don't see why I told you! You've done
nothing but nag me, ever since. Werner's all right and what difference
does it make whether I got the money from him or the Smithsonian?' I
went right out and told them what I had overheard and asked them to be
more careful. Ernest merely said they were talking of a family matter
and Elsa burst into tears and walked away."

Roger laid his pipe down with a scowl. "Pshaw,