And then Cheney shuffled down the steps, and was gone.
Allan intended to take his newly developed plates out of the washing-box and place them in the rack. He scarcely took time to glance at them. The important thing at that moment seemed to be that the fire negatives were safe after all.
When he ran into the house, Allan held the three plates aloft and cried out to his mother and Edith, “Guess!”
“Something good you caught to-day?” asked Edith.
Mrs. Hartel saw something different in Allan’s face. “The fire negatives!” she said,—“you found them!”
“They are the fire negatives,” Allan said exultantly, “but I didn’t find them exactly,—the thief brought them back.”
“The thief—brought them back!” exclaimed Edith.
Allan nodded. “And they’re not scratched. Isn’t it lucky?”
“Who was it?” asked Mrs. Hartel.
“Cheney.”