"Yes, I’ve thought of that often—wondered why they waited." "And do you grasp another fact—that Hannah a little before nine heard the dogs barking and then quieting down as if they scented some one they knew?" I nodded; that too I’d made a mental note of. "It couldn’t have been Price for he was on the way to town then." "Oh, Price—" he gave an impatient jerk of his head—"of course it wasn’t Price, but it _was_ some one the dogs knew. That would have been just about the time a man, watching the house and seeing the ground floor dark, would have come across the lawn to make his entrance." I pondered for a spell then said: "Did you ever tell this to Mrs. Janney or any of them?" "No, I didn’t think of it myself until a little while ago—the night I dined here and saw it was one of Mr. Janney’s cigars. And then what was the use—the light by the safe had fixed the time." "Yes—if it wasn’t for that light you’d have got a real lead. Too bad, for it’s a bully starting point, and it would have let out those other two." He stiffened up, suddenly haughty looking. "There’s no necessity of letting out people who never were in. But if that light was eliminated you could work on the theory that a professional thief—an expert safe opener—had done the business." "How would the dogs know _him_?" I asked. He leaned toward me, looking with a quiet sort of meaning into my face: "Suppose you put that mind of yours, that Wilbur Whitney values so highly and I’m beginning to see indications of, on that question." "What’s the sense of wasting it? My mind’s my capital and I don’t draw on it unless there’s a need. You get rid of that light at one-thirty and I’ll expend some of it." I laughed, but he didn’t, looking on the ground frowning and thoughtful. Then a step on the balcony made us both turn. It was Miss Maitland, back from her walk, looking much better, a smile at the sight of him, and a little color in her face. She joined us and, Dixon announcing lunch, Ferguson invited himself to stay. It was the first human meal I’d eaten since the doors of the dining room had opened to me. After lunch I left them on the balcony and went upstairs to my room. I tried to read but the air, blowing in warm and sweet and the scent of the garden coming up, made the book seem dull, and I went to the window and leaned out.