Lane smiled. “I don’t think I shall find much difficulty in that. In fact I fancy I could put my hands on her now.” “She would naturally go to some small hotel, till she had arranged her future plans, not, of course, to any big one where she would be likely to come across people she knew,” suggested Rosabelle. “I think not, Miss Sheldon,” answered the wise Lane. “In this crushing hour of her misfortunes, instinct will lead her to the friend of her youth, whose connection with her up to now has, without doubt, been a very close one. For a time, till she has got used to the situation, she will avoid even the smallest publicity.” “You mean the woman, Alma Buckley,” cried Morrice, appreciating this capable man’s acumen. Lane nodded. “It is much more than an even chance. Well, I will set about it early to-morrow morning. I will give her to-day to recover from the first effects of the shock. Now, Mr. Morrice, I have never seen the lady. I should be glad if you would show me her photographs and entrust me for a brief space with the memorandum. I expect I shall have to flourish that in her face just at the beginning.” Three photographs were shown him, one in ordinary dress, one in evening attire, one in outdoor costume. The detective impressed the features of the wretched woman on his retentive memory. He would recognize her in any garb. He also carried away with him the important memorandum, the loss of which the financier had treated so lightly. Rosabelle accompanied him into the hall for a few last words. “Up to quite recently, Mr. Lane, you have not been very frank with me,” she said. “I think now you might try to make amends, and let me know what led you to fix upon Mrs. Morrice as the guilty party.” “Well, I could hardly explain very clearly. I began of course with a general distrust of everybody in the house, for I was sure the thief was of the household.” “Including myself, I suppose?” suggested the girl. “Present company always excepted,” replied the detective with a low bow. “But seriously, Miss Sheldon, well-brought-up young ladies of your tender age do not take to burglary as a general rule. Well, as I said, I suspected from the beginning it was somebody in the house. I fear I must touch upon rather delicate ground for a moment. Reasoning from my theory, Mr. Croxton might as well be the criminal as anybody else, more so because collateral evidence was certainly very strong against him.” “You thought, in other words, his employing you through me might have been a bit of audacious bluff?”