“No; not in any direction. If he is under any criticism as to his course of life, it is that he is too much devoted to athletic sports, and that they have the only interest he has outside of his business relations.” “What are his business relations?” “He is the secretary and treasurer of a small manufacturing concern, of which I am the chief owner, and he is my representative in that affair.” “Now, as to his associations?” “He is a member of an athletic club and spends most of his leisure hours with its members, and, I have inquired to learn, they are a very proper set of young men, whose chief aim is to bring their physical powers to as near a point of perfection as possible.” “What is that organization?” “The Grecian Athletic Club.” Nick made a memorandum of this club, and turned his attention to the safe in the dining-room. A close investigation satisfied him that, by some means, the combination had been found, and the safe opened without force. He also found what had not been observed by Mr. Herron--that the draperies in the parlor had been used to wrap up the plate taken from the safe. Going to the smaller safe in Mrs. Herron’s room, there were also indications that that safe had been opened in a like manner. Mr. Herron had stood by silently while the detective was making these investigations, and when Nick turned from them he asked: “Well?” “I told you this morning,” said Nick, “that I believed skillful and professional burglars had been at work here. A second examination satisfies me that I was right in that statement, and I go further and say that a skillful lockman was at work.” “Ah!” Mr. Herron made this exclamation, but in a tone that suggested to Nick that he did not comprehend its significance. “You do not take in all my meaning,” said Nick; “it means that I can narrow the search for the burglars to a comparatively small circle. There are not so many skillful lockmen among the burglars who are not pretty well known to the authorities.” Nothing had been changed in the house since the arrival of Mr. Herron and his wife, and Nick again went over the work done by the burglars in searching the desks, drawers and other receptacles in the house. Though he made no comment, he was satisfied that while an exhaustive search had been made for some particular thing, it had been made without method or purpose. In other words, the thieves had proceeded to a search without definite information as to the place wherein the thing sought was kept. Evidently, all that was known was that Mr. Herron kept these drawings and models within his dwelling-house, and that information might have come from Mr. Herron himself. Nick questioned Mr. Herron on this point, but, when the gentleman could not recollect that he had ever told any one the fact, neither could he assert that he had not mentioned it.