“Not yet—but soon,” and Elliott essayed to pass the subject off lightly.

“Very soon?” Hendricks looked at him in a curious manner.

“Very soon, I think.”

“That’s interesting. Would it be indiscreet to ask in what direction one must look for the criminal?”

“It would very.” Elliott smiled a little. “Now run along, Hendricks, that’s a good chap. I’ve important business matters to talk over with Eunice.”

Hendricks went, and Elliott turned to Eunice, with a grave face,

“I’ve been going over Sanford’s private papers,” he said, “and, Eunice, there’s a lot that we want to keep quiet.”

“Was Sanford a bad man?” she asked, her quiet, white face imploring a negative answer.

“Not so very, but, as you know, he had a love of money—a sort of acquisitiveness, that led him into questionable dealings. He loaned money to any one who would give him security—”

“That isn’t wrong!”