"I'd like you to listen to this and tell me what you think," he said.
Scott make a sign of agreement, and when Thirlwell had read Agatha's account of her meeting with the burglar and Stormont, he remarked: "It's a nice frank letter, and Miss Strange has some talent for dramatic narrative."
"That's not what I meant," said Thirlwell, with an impatient frown. "What d'you think about Stormont's visit?"
"On the whole, I imagine Miss Strange ran less risk of being robbed when she met the burglar."
"So I think. But why did the fellow go?"
Scott looked thoughtful. "Though Stormont's said to be a rogue, he's certainly not a fool. You seem to take it for granted that Strange never found the lode, but I'm not sure. Anyhow, it looks as if Stormont didn't agree with you."
"But how did he hear about the lode?"
"It's not very plain, but I have a suspicion. There's a curious thing; I don't see much difference between Stormont's object and the burglar's. Both seemed to want the letters Strange wrote to the girl."
"Now I come to think of it, perhaps there wasn't much difference. The fellow stole nothing, although he broke open the writing-table and Miss Strange's trunk. She says he disturbed nothing else. But the matter gets no clearer."
Scott smiled. "My explanation is that Stormont tried to buy the letters after he found they couldn't be stolen."