"Then by God! it is an inside job!" Wolvert sprang from his chair. "And I know who is back of it—that girl!"
"What!" Doctor Bayard exclaimed, as the rest sat spellbound. "The young woman upstairs?"
"The young spy, d—n her!" retorted Wolvert, his dark face ablaze. "I had a hazy idea that I saw her last night while the thief was pressing the sponge over my mouth but I laid it to delirium. I tell you she was in league with him, and what is more, I don't think he was one of our gang gone crooked. I didn't tell you before because I didn't want to throw you all into a panic but I'm convinced he's a 'tec and she was working in with him. He heard Welch coming and beat it, but she didn't have a chance and we've kept too close a watch on her for her to get away since!"
"I knew it!" Madame Cimmino shrilled. "I knew there was something wrong when she came!"
"I, too!" exclaimed Ide. "I've had a deucedly queer feeling since I first met her at your dinner, Marcia, as if I had seen her before somewhere."
"She's the only outsider!" Welch put in dazedly. "I always said no good would come of draggin' in strange girls and usin' them for a blind, but you knew it all!"
He glared at Mrs. Atterbury who sat gazing intently straight before her.
"It is impossible," she said at last. "I chose the girl myself, and she has kept her position perfectly—"
"Too perfectly!" Wolvert snarled. "She was too good to be true, going wherever you sent her without question. You've been a blind fool! She was planted here, I tell you! That advertisement was a trick and you fell for it! 'Stranger in city and without relatives!' Bah! it was too easy!"
Mrs. Atterbury's immobile face was distorted with gathering menace but her voice was still controlled.