"And Horace didn't slip down the garden to the workroom?" asked Larry. Lily looked indignant.
"That he didn't!" she said. "For one thing I'd have seen him. For another thing, he wasn't gone more than three minutes. And for another thing, my Horace wouldn't do a thing like that!"
"Well - that lets Horace out," said Larry, saying aloud what every one else was thinking. "He couldn't have done it. I'm glad you told us all this, Lily. Golly - I do wonder who did it then?"
"It only leaves Mr. Smellie," said Bets, without thinking.
Bets's words had an astonishing result. Lily let out a squeal, and stared at Bets as if she couldn't believe her ears. She opened and shut her mouth like a fish, and didn't seem able to say a word.
"Whatever's the matter?" asked Larry, in surprise.
"What did she say that for?" asked Lily, almost in a whisper. "How does she know that Mr. Smellie was here that night?"
Now it was the children's turn to look surprised. "Well," and Larry, "we don't know for certain. We only just wondered. But why are you so astonished, Lily? What do you know about it, anyway? You didn't see Mr. Smellie, did you? You said that no one saw you aad Horace."
"That's right," said Lily. "But Horace saw some one! When he got in through the window, and went upstairs to get his things, he saw some one creeping in through the garden door. And it was Mr. Smellie!"
"Golly!" said Larry and Pip. They all stared at one an-