That evening Brandon Bates watched for the coming of Dean, being curious to learn where it was that he had found the sleeve button. He accompanied Dean into his father's private room, where Squire Bates was sitting at a writing-desk. "Here's Dean Dunham, papa!" he said. "Very well, Brandon, you may withdraw, and leave Dean alone with me." "Mayn't I stay, papa?" asked Brandon, his face elongating with the disappointment he felt at the unexpected exclusion. "No, it is not necessary, my son." Brandon went out sulkily, and installed himself at the door with his ear at the keyhole. But he was decidedly nonplussed when Squire Bates, moving softly to the door, opened it unexpectedly, and he nearly tumbled in. "Didn't I tell you to leave?" demanded his father, sternly. "I'm going," answered Brandon, in a shamefaced manner. "How is your uncle, Dean?" asked Squire Bates, resuming his seat at the desk. "Not very well, Squire Bates. He hasn't been himself since the robbery." "Oh, ah! Yes. It was, no doubt, quite a shock to him. Let us hope he will soon be himself again." "I don't think he will be himself till he recovers the money." "I suppose you have not learned anything about it as yet." "Well, we have a clew," said Dean, slowly. "What sort of a clew?" asked the squire, nervously. "Well, not enough to speak of yet." "By the way," continued the squire, carelessly, "Brandon tells me you have found a sleeve button which he thinks belongs to me." "Yes, sir, would you like to see it?" "Certainly, if you have it with you." Dean produced from his vest pocket the button already referred to. "Is it yours?" he inquired. "It looks very much like one I once owned," said the squire, taking it in his hand. "Did you find the mate to it?" "No," answered Dean, in surprise. "Is the other button lost also?" "Yes," said Squire Bates. "By the by, where did you find it?" "Only a few feet from the spot where my uncle was robbed—in the woods," answered Dean, scrutinizing the face of the lawyer closely as he spoke. But Squire Bates was prepared for this disclosure, and betrayed neither surprise nor confusion. "Indeed!" he said. "This is most interesting. When did you find it?" "On the day afterwards." "It must have been dropped by the person who robbed your uncle, then?" "That is just what I thought," said Dean, much surprised by this apparent confession on the part of the squire. "I must now tell you that the sleeve buttons, with a small sum of money, mysteriously disappeared about that time," the squire continued, in a confidential manner. "I am inclined to attribute their loss to a tramp who was seen prowling round my house the day before your uncle's misfortune. It looks as if both robberies were by the same person."