I could have got my pay fast enough from the Colonel but I didn't want to stir up trouble.

We all know that it isn't the innocent who pay blackmail," he added parenthetically.
"Do you mean to insinuate that Mr.Crosby is implicated ?" "Lord no! He's as innocent as a lamb.

Young Gaylord was too smart for him; he hoodwinked him as well as the Colonel into believing the bonds were stolen while he was out of the house." A smile ran around the room and the detective was excused.

I sprang to my feet.
"One moment!" I said.

"I should like to ask Mr.Clancy some questions." The young man was turned over to me, plainly against his wishes.
"What proof have you, Mr.Clancy, that the bonds were not stolen while Mr.Gaylord was out of the house ?" "Well, my investigations led me to the belief that he stole them, and that being the case, it must have been done before he left the house." "I see! And your investigations concerned themselves largely with a letter which you filched from Mr.Gaylord's coat pocket in the night, did they not ?" "Not entirely--the letter merely struck me as corroborative evidence, though I have since learned--" "Mr.Clancy," I interrupted sternly, "did you not tell me at the time, that that letter was absolute proof of his guilt--yes or no ?" "I may have said so but--" "Mr.Clancy, will you kindly repeat what was in that letter." "It referred to some bonds; I don't know that I can recall the exact words." "Then I must request you to read it," I returned, picking it out from a bundle of papers on the table and handing it to him.