sprawly hand, and once Blair showed me a
letter from Joshua, which he's kept as a memento, and it was in a small
cramped hand."

"That's queer. But I expect Joshua might have got somebody to write for
him. Those half-breeds are not very scholarly, you know. However, if
there's any doubt about it, the matter must be looked into. Do you mean
that maybe we can go now, after all? But I can't help thinking that
Joshua wrote that. I know he's not very strong on spelling!"

"Well, Blair will know. You ask him for that letter he has of Joshua's."

"All right, Mr. Crane, I will. I'll see him to-night. There's a dinner
on at the Club, and he'll be there. You know he's in a fair way, I
think, to get that Callender prize."

"I hope so, I'm sure. A rising young architect, Blair is, and I hope he
wins it. I suppose he wouldn't want to go to Labrador until that matter
is settled?"

"No, probably not. But the award will be made this month."

"And he's in a fair way to get it?"

"Looks that way to me. His sketches are fine, though I haven't seen his
finished work. Thorpe's a close second, I imagine."

"I suppose I'd rather see Thorpe get it, but don't tell Blair that. A
man is naturally interested in his future son-in-law."

"Oh, it's gone as far as that, has it?"

"Yes, but it's not announced yet. So say nothing till Julie tells you
to. She's a dear girl, but as hard as adamant where belief in the occult
is concerned."

"She and Thorpe are at one there."

"Yes, that helped the affair along, I fancy. But it's all right. Julie
can think what she likes. Peter used to hate the subject, too."

"I know it. We touched on it now and then, but he usually veered off to
something else at once."

"What do you think about the pouch, Shelby? I'm not sure I ever asked
you."

"I don't think, Mr. Crane. I mean I can't explain the thing by natural
means, and I'm unable to believe in the supernatural. What more can I
say?"

"Nothing. I suppose most people are like that. Thank heaven. I'm made so
that I can believe!"

CHAPTER VIII

Blair Knows

Gilbert Blair was a lovable sort of chap, one of those fine, gentle
natures that will put up with annoyance rather than annoy another.
Although he would have preferred to live alone, yet it was greatly to
his pecuniary advantage to have Thorpe share his place, and, on the
whole, they got on fairly well. But, being of different habits and
temperaments, the details of their home life