CHAPTER XVI DETECTIVE THORNTON

ul,butIfeelratherhelpless,andIdaresayyoucanmanagethematterbetterthanI." Lookingmuchmystified,Thornywentandsatonthestoolathissister'sfeet,whileshewhisperedconfidentiallyinhisear:"I'velostsomemoneyoutofmydrawer,andI'msoafraidBentookit." "Butit'salwayslockedupandyoukeepthekeysofthedrawerandthelittleroom?" "Itisgone,nevertheless,andI'vehadmykeyssafeallthetime." "ButwhythinkitisheanymorethanRanda,orKaty,orme?" "BecauseItrustyouthreeasIdomyself.I'veknownthegirlsforyears,andyouhavenoobjectintakingitsinceallIhaveisyours,dear." "Andallmineisyours,ofcourse.But,Celia,howcouldhedoit?Hecan'tpicklocks,Iknow,forwefussedovermydesktogether,andhadtobreakitafterall." "Ineverreallythoughtitpossibletillto-daywhenyouwereplayingballanditwentinattheupperwindow,andBenclimbeduptheporchafterityourememberyousaid,'Ifithadgoneinatthegarretgableyoucouldn'thavedonethatsowell'andheanswered,'Yes,Icould,thereisn'taspoutIcan'tshinup,orabitofthisroofIhaven'tbeenover.'" "Sohedidbutthereisnospoutnearthelittleroomwindow." "Thereisatree,andsuchanagileboyasBencouldswinginandouteasily.Now,Thorny,Ihatetothinkthisofhim,butithashappenedtwice,andforhisownsakeImuststopit.Ifheisplanningtorunaway,moneyisagoodthingtohave.Andhemayfeelthatitishisownforyouknowheaskedmetoputhiswagesinthebank,andIdid.Hemaynotliketocometomeforthat,becausehecangivenogoodreasonforwantingit.I'msotroubledIreallydon'tknowwhattodo." Shelookedtroubled,andThornyputhisarmsaboutherasiftokeepallworriesbuthisownawayfromher. "Don'tyoufret,Cely,dearyouleaveittome.I'llfixhim—ungratefullittlescamp!" "Thatisnotthewaytobegin.Iamafraidyouwillmakehimangryandhurthisfeelings,andthenwecandonothing." "Botherhisfeelings!Ishalljustsay,calmlyandcoolly:'Now,lookhere,Ben,handoverthemoneyyoutookoutofmysister'sdrawer,andwe'llletyouoffeasy,'orsomethinglikethat." "Itwouldn'tdo,Thornyhistemperwouldbeupinaminute,andawayhewouldgobeforewecouldfindoutwhetherhewasguiltyornot.IwishIknewhowtomanage." "Letmethink,"andThornyleanedhischinonthearmofthechair,staringhardattheknockerasifheexpectedthelion'smouthtoopenwithwordsofcounselthenandthere. "ByJove,IdobelieveBentookit!"hebrokeoutsuddenly"forwhenIwenttohisroomthismorningtoseewhyhedidn'tcomeanddomyboots,heshutthedrawerinhisbureauasquickasaflash,andlookedredandqueer,forIdidn'tknock,andsortofstartledhim." "Hewouldn'tbelikelytoputstolenmoneythere.Benistoowiseforthat." "Hewouldn'tkeepitthere,buthemightbelookingatitandpitchitinwhenIcalled.He'shardlyspokentomesince,andwhenIaskedhimwhathisflagwasathalf-mastfor,hewouldn'tanswer.Besides,youknowinthereadingthisafternoonhedidn'tlisten,andwhenyouaskedwhathewasthinkingabout,hecoloredupandmutteredsomethingaboutSanch.Itellyou,Celia,itlooksbad—verybad,"andThornyshookhisheadwithawiseair. "Itdoes,andyetwemaybeallwrong.Letuswaitalittleandgivethepoorboyachancetoclearhimselfbeforewespeak.I'dratherlosemymoneythansuspecthimfalsely." "Howmuchwasit?" "Elevendollarsaonewentfirst,andIsupposedI'dmiscalculatedsomewherewhenItooksomeoutbutwhenImissedaten,IfeltthatIoughtnottoletitpass." "Lookhere,sister,youjustputthecaseintomyhandsandletmeworkitup.Iwon'tsayanythingtoBentillyougivethewordbutI'llwatchhim,andnowthatmyeyesareopen,itwon'tbeeasytodeceiveme." Thornywasevidentlypleasedwiththenewplayofdetective,andintendedtodistinguishhimselfinthatlinebutwhenMissCeliaaskedhowhemeanttobegin,hecouldonlyrespondwithablankexpression:"Don'tknow!Yougivemethekeysandleaveabillortwointhedrawer,andmaybeIcanfindhimoutsomehow." Sothekeysweregiven,andthelittledressing-roomwheretheoldsecretarystoodwascloselywatchedforadayortwo.Bencheeredupatriflewhichlookedasifheknewaneyewasuponhim,butotherwisehewentonasusual,andMissCeliafeelingalittleguiltyatevenharboringasuspicionofhim,waskindandpatientwithhismoods.ThornywasveryfunnyintheunnecessarymysteryandfusshemadehisaffectationofcarelessindifferencetoBen'smovementsandhis