ort
bank; that is, some of them were there and some of them were in the bank
at Harniss. Then she asked if any one could get them, anybody except she
or I. Of course I told her no, and not even I without an order from her.
She seemed a little relieved, I thought, but when _I_ asked questions
she shut up like a quahaug. But that seemed a silly errand to come away
over here on. Don't you think so, Cap'n? ... Eh? What's the matter? What
are you looking at me like that for?"

The captain _was_ looking at him, was looking with an expression of
intense and eager interest. He did not answer Bradley's question, but
asked one, himself.

"Did she ask anything more about--well, about her bonds?" he demanded.
"Think now; I'll tell you why by and by."

The lawyer considered. "No-o," he said. "Nothing of importance, surely.
She asked--she seemed to want to know particularly if it was possible
for any one except the owner or a duly accredited representative to get
at securities in the vaults of those banks. That seemed to be the
information she was after.... Now what have you got up your sleeve?"

"Nothin'--nothin'. I guess. Or somethin', maybe; I don't know. Bradley,
would you mind tellin' me this much: Of course I'm not Elizabeth's
trustee any more, but would it be out of the way if you told me whether
or not you reinvested any of her twenty thousand in City of Boston
bonds? City of Boston 4-1/2s; say?"

Bradley did not answer for a moment. Then from a pigeon hole in his desk
he took a packet of papers and selected one.

"Yes," he said, gravely. "I put ten thousand of her money in those very
bonds. My brokers up in Boston recommended them strongly as being a safe
and good investment.... And now perhaps you'll tell us why you asked
about that?"

Sears' brows drew together. Here was his vague theory on the way, at
least, to confirmation.

"You tell me somethin' more first," he said. "'Tisn't likely you've got
the numbers of those bonds on that piece of paper, is it?"

"Likely enough. I've got the numbers and the price I paid for 'em. Why?"

Kendrick took his memorandum book from his pocket. "Were two of those
numbers A610,312 and A610,313?" he asked.

Bradley consulted his slip of paper. "No," he replied. "Nothing like
it."

"Eh? You're sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. Say, what sort of a trustee do you think I am?"

Sears did not answer. If the lawyer was sure, then his "theory," instead
of being confirmed, was smashed