CHAPTER XVI DETECTIVE THORNTON

clumsyattemptstowatcheveryoneofthemhisdodgingsupanddownstairs,ostentatiousclankingofkeys,andtheelaboratetrapshesettocatchhisthief,suchasthrowinghisballinatthedressing-roomwindowandsendingBenupthetreetogetit,whichhedid,therebyprovingbeyondadoubtthathealonecouldhavetakenthemoney,Thornythought.Anotherdeepdiscoverywas,thattheolddrawerwassoshrunkenthatthelockcouldbepresseddownbyslippingaknife-bladebetweenthehaspandsocket. "Nowitisasclearasday,andyou'dbetterletmespeak,"hesaid,fullofprideaswellasregretatthistriumphantsuccessofhisfirstattemptasadetective. "Notyet,andyouneeddonothingmore.I'mafraiditwasamistakeofminetoletyoudothisandifithasspoiledyourfriendshipwithBen,IshallbeverysorryforIdonotthinkheisguilty,"answeredMissCelia. "Whynot?"andThornylookedannoyed. "I'vewatchedalso,andhedoesn'tactlikeadeceitfulboy.To-dayIaskedhimifhewantedanymoney,orshouldIputwhatIowehimwiththerest,andhelookedmestraightinthefacewithsuchhonest,gratefuleyes,Icouldnotdoubthimwhenhesaid'Keepit,please,Idon'tneedanythinghere,youareallsogoodtome.'" "Now,Celia,don'tyoubesoft-hearted.He'saslylittledog,andknowsmyeyeisonhim.WhenIaskedhimwhathesawinthedressing-room,afterhebroughtouttheball,andlookedsharplyathim,helaughed,andsaid'Onlyamouse,'assaucyasyouplease." "Dosetthetrapthere,Iheardthemousenibblinglastnight,anditkeptmeawake.Wemusthaveacatorweshallbeoverrun." "Well,shallIgiveBenagoodblowingup,orwillyou?"askedThorny,scorningsuchpoorpreyasmice,andboundtoprovethathewasintheright. "I'llletyouknowwhatIhavedecidedinthemorning.BekindtoBen,meantime,orIshallfeelasifIhaddoneyouharmbylettingyouwatchhim." Soitwasleftforthatday,andbythenext,MissCeliahadmadeuphermindtospeaktoBen.Shewasjustgoingdowntobreakfastwhenthesoundofloudvoicesmadeherpauseandlisten.ItcamefromBen'sroom,wherethetwoboysseemedtobedisputingaboutsomething. "IhopeThornyhaskepthispromise,"shethought,andhurriedthroughthebackentry,fearingageneralexplosion. Ben'schamberwasattheend,andshecouldseeandhearwhatwasgoingonbeforeshewasnearenoughtointerfere.Benstoodagainsthisclosetdoorlookingasfierceandredasaturkey-cockThornysternlyconfrontedhim,sayinginanexcitedtone,andwithathreateninggesture:"Youarehidingsomethinginthere,andyoucan'tdenyit." "Idon't." "BetternotIinsistonseeingit." "Well,youwon't." "Whathaveyoubeenstealingnow?" "Didn'tstealit,—usedtobemine,—IonlytookitwhenIwantedit." "Iknowwhatthatmeans.You'dbettergiveitbackorI'llmakeyou." "Stop!"criedathirdvoice,asThornyputouthisarmtoclutchBen,wholookedreadytodefendhimselftothelastgasp,"Boys,Iwillsettlethisaffair.Isthereanythinghiddeninthecloset,Ben?"andMissCeliacamebetweenthebelligerentpartieswithheronehanduptopartthem. Thornyfellbackatonce,lookinghalfashamedofhisheat,andBenbrieflyanswered,withagulpasifshameorangermadeithardtospeaksteadily: "Yes'm,thereis." "Doesitbelongtoyou?" "Yes'm,itdoes." "Wheredidyougetit?" "UptoSquire's." "That'salie!"mutteredThornytohimself. Ben'seyeflashed,andhisfistdoubledupinspiteofhim,butherestrainedhimselfoutofrespectforMissCelia,wholookedpuzzled,assheaskedanotherquestion,notquitesurehowtoproceedwiththeinvestigation:"Isitmoney,Ben?" "No'm,itisn't." "Thenwhatcanitbe?" "Meow!"answeredafourthvoicefromtheclosetandasBenflungopenthedooragraykittenwalkedout,purringwithsatisfactionatherrelease. MissCeliafellintoachairandlaughedtillhereyeswerefullThornylookedfoolish,andBenfoldedhisarms,curleduphisnose,andregardedhisaccuserwithcalmdefiance,whilepussysatdowntowashherfaceasifhermorningtoilettehadbeeninterruptedbyhersuddenabduction. "That'sallverywell,butitdoesn'tmendmattersmuch,soyouneedn'tlaugh,Celia,"beganThorny,recoveringhimself,andstubbornlybentonsiftingthecasetothebottom,nowhehadbegun. "Well,itwould,ifyou'dletafelleralone.Shesaidshewantedacat,soIwentandgottheonetheygavemewhenIwasattheSquire's.Iwentearlyandtookherwithoutasking,andIhadarightto,"e