By way of answer Kent took off the receiver and after giving a number to Central, he recognized Clymer's voice over the telephone.
"That you, Mr.Clymer? Yes, well, this is Kent speaking.Can you tell me who was the last person to leave the porch when Colonel de Geofroy made his farewell speech to-night at the club?""I was," came Clymer's surprised answer.
"I waited for McIntyre to pick up Mrs.Brewster's fan.""Did he take my letter off the table also?" called Kent.
"Why, no." Clymer's voice testified to his increased surprise.
"Mrs.Brewster dropped her fan right in the doorway just as McIntyre and I approached; we both stooped to get it and, like fools; bumped our heads together in the act.He got the fan, however, and Iwaited for him to walk into the dining room before following Mrs.
Brewster."
"As you passed the table, Mr.Clymer, did you see my letter lying on the table?" persisted Kent.
"Upon my word I never looked at the table," Clymer's hearty tone carried conviction."I walked right along in my hurry to know what the cheering was about.I am sorry, Kent; have you mislaid your letter?""Yes," glumly."Sorry to have disturbed you, Mr.Clymer; good night," and Clymer's echoing, "Good night" sounded faintly as he hung up the receiver.
"Drew blank," he announced, turning to Ferguson."Confound you, Ferguson; you bad no right to touch the papers in my safe.If harm comes from it, I'll make you suffer," and not waiting for the detective's jumbled apologies and explanations, he hurried from the building.But once on the sidewalk he paused for thought.McIntyre must have picked up the white envelope, there was no other feasible explanation of its disappearance.But what had attracted his attention to the envelope - the red seal with the big letter " B"was its only identifying mark.If Helen had only told him the contents of the envelope!
Kent struck his clenched fist in his left hand in wrath; something must be done, he could not stand there all night.Although it was through no fault of his own that he had lost the envelope entrusted to his care, he was still responsible to Helen for its disappearance.She must be told that it was gone, however unpleasant the task.
Kent walked hastily along Pennsylvania Avenue until he came to a drug store still open, and entered the telephone booth.He had recollected that the twins had a branch telephone in their sitting room; he would have to chance their being awake at that hour.
Barbara McIntyre turned on her pillow and rubbed her sleepy eyes;surely she had been mistaken in thinking she heard the telephone bell ringing.Even as she lay striving to listen, she dozed off again, to be rudely awakened by Helen's voice at her ear.
"Babs!" came the agitated whisper."The envelope's gone.""Gone!" Barbara swung out of bed.
"Gone where?"
"Father has it."
Downstairs in the library Mrs.Brewster paused on her entrance by the side of a piece of carved Venetian furniture and laying her coronation scarf on it, she examined a white envelope - the red seal was intact.
At the sound of approaching footsteps she raised a trap door in the piece of furniture and only her keen ears caught the faint thud of the envelope as it dropped inside, then with a happy, tender smile she turned to meet Colonel McIntyre.
