"So do I--through smoked glass, though, as yet," assented Scarterfield. "But--it's getting clearer. Now, things at the bank were examined--and some nice revelations came forth! To begin with, there was a cash deficiency--not a heavy one, but quite heavy enough. In addition to that, certain jewels were missing, which had been deposited with the bankers for security by a lady in this neighbourhood--they were worth some thousands of pounds. And, to add to this, two chests of plate were gone which had been placed with the bank some years before by the executors of the will of the late Lord Forestburne, to be kept there till the coming of age of his heir, a minor when his father died. Altogether, Mr. John Martindale Lester and his accomplices, or accomplice, had helped themselves very freely to things until then safe in the vaults and strong room." "Have you found out if Netherfield Baxter and the temporary bank-manager were acquainted?" I asked. "No--that's a matter I've very carefully refrained from inquiring into," answered Scarterfield. "So far, no one has mentioned their acquaintanceship or association to me, and I haven't suggested it, for I don't want to raise suspicions--I want to keep things to myself, so that I can play my own game. No--I've never heard the two men spoken of in connection with each other." "What is thought in the town about Lester and the valuables?" I inquired. "They must have some theory?" "Oh, of course, they have," he replied. "The theory is that Lester had accomplices in London, that he shipped these valuables off there, and that when his accomplices heard of his sudden death they--why, they just held their tongues. But--my notion is that the only accomplice Lester had was our friend Netherfield Baxter." "You've some ground?" I asked.