Miriam thanked him, then sat down and waited for him to take the chair opposite hers. As he looked at her inquiringly, she came directly to the point. Opening her hand bag, she took out the letter bearing the Canadian postage and held it up.
“I found this letter,” she said, “when on duty last night. It was tucked in one of the chairs in Mrs. Nash’s bedroom. I bring it to you as I found it—unopened.”
Trenholm took the letter from her outstretched hand, and turned it over several times before making any comment.
“And what is there about the letter to have attracted your attention, Miss Ward?” he finally asked, and wondered at the look in her eyes.
“The seal,” she said simply. “It matches this,” and she drew out of her bag the half-burnt envelope and turned it over so that he could view the flap with its black crest. “It is that crest of which you found drawings in my bag.”
“Yes, I recognize the three beehives,” he replied. Leaning back in his chair he reached over and took up a heavy volume from a smoking stand where he had flung it earlier that day. “I borrowed this book on heraldry from the Congressional Library,” he explained, and turned the leaves with lightning rapidity until he found the page he wished. “See, the three beehives,” pointing to a fine colored engraving, “and the proud motto of the Paltoffs of Russia—‘Always without Fear.’”
Miriam stared at the printed page and then at Trenholm, and respect and admiration were in her glance.
“That was clever of you,” she exclaimed. “So you guess—”
“Much,” quietly, “except your connection with the Paltoffs.”
Miriam looked about the library. There was no likelihood of their conversation being interrupted.