flat.

"Humph!" he grunted, after a moment. "Do you mind my lookin' at that
paper of yours?"

Bradley pushed the slip across the desk. The captain looked at it
carefully. "Humph!" he said again. "You're right. And those are five
hundred dollar bonds, all of 'em. Well, that settles that. And now it's
all fog again.... Humph! In a way I'm glad--but---- Pshaw!"

"Yes. And _now_ maybe you'll tell me what you're after? Don't you think
it's pretty nearly time?"

"Why, perhaps, but I'm afraid that's what I can't tell--you or anybody
else.... Bradley, just one more thing. Do you happen to know whether
there was any of those Boston bonds in Lobelia Phillips' estate? That
is, did any of 'em come to her husband from her?"

The lawyer's answer was emphatic enough.

"Yes, I do know," he said. "There wasn't any. Those bonds are a brand
new issue. They have been put out since her death."

Here was another gun spiked. Kendrick whistled. Bradley regarded him
keenly.

"Cap'n," he demanded, "are you on the trail of that Eg Phillips? Do you
really think you've got anything on him? Because if you have and you
don't let me into the game I'll never forgive you. Of all the slick,
smooth, stuck-up nothings that---- Say, have you?"

Kendrick shook his head. "I'm afraid not, Squire," he observed. "And, at
any rate, I couldn't tell you, if I had. ... Eh? And _now_ what?"

For the lawyer had suddenly struck the desk a blow with his hand. He was
fumbling in another pigeon-hole and extracting therefrom another packet
of papers.

"Cap'n Kendrick," he said, "I know where there are--or were,
anyhow--more of those Boston 4-1/2s."

"Eh? You do?"

"Yes. And they were thousand dollar bonds, too.... Yes, and.... Give me
those numbers again."

Sears gave them. Bradley grinned, triumphantly.

"Here you are," he exclaimed. "Five one thousand dollar City of Boston
4-1/2s, bought at so and so much, on such and such a date, numbered
A610,309 to A610,313 inclusive. Cap'n Sears, those bonds are--or were,
the last I knew--in the vault of the Bayport National Bank."

Kendrick rose to his feet. "You don't tell me!" he cried. "Who put 'em
there?"

"I put 'em there. And I bought 'em. But they don't belong to me. There
was somebody else had money left to them, and I, on request, invested it
for the owner. Now you can guess, can't you?"

Cap'n Sears sat down heavily. "Cordelia?" he exclaimed. "Cordelia Berry,
of course!... Bradley, what an everlasti