"Great Moses!" ejaculated Mr. Townsend, "young man, who are you—what are you?"
"I am a detective; you have my card; but please answer my question."
"Yes, sir, when I opened the package of securities I observed that some white sand fell on my lap. I remember brushing it off—yes, it's marvelous that you should know this. Are you the heir, or did you meet the man, or do you know him, or did some one tell you, or am I dreaming?"
"None of your propositions, sir, are correct; I am merely shadowing down to facts, going logically to work to find a clue."
"But you must have some basis for these questions?"
"Only such as come to me."
"No facts?"
"None whatever; I never heard of the affair until you related the circumstances to me within the hour, but I am reasoning on certain lines. I may project several theories and consider them all. We have made a little advance; we have learned that the strange man who deposited the fortune with you came from New Jersey; we have reason to believe that his farm was somewhere near the seashore."
"Yes, yes, I see, this is wonderful. Why, the detective business is easy enough if you only know how to go about it."
Jack laughed and said: