“I’ve heard of footprint clues,” said Granniss, interested, “but that is so vague and imperfect, I don’t think you can deduce who made it,—can you?” “Not from the print,——” Wise said,—thoughtfully, and then added nothing to his unsatisfactory statement. He then took a paper-cutter from the desk, and scraped onto a bit of smooth paper what dust he could get from the footprint, and carefully folded it up and put it in his pocketbook. “What shoes were you wearing when you visited the safe last night, Mrs Varian?” he asked. “Bedroom slippers,” she replied. “Had you walked anywhere except to traverse the halls and stairs, from your bedroom down here?” “No, nowhere else.” “And you took that package of money up to your room with you?” “Yes.” “Had you not done so, it would have been stolen,” Wise said, calmly. “A thief visited this safe after you were here,—he thought the money was here. He was surprised by the maid, Martha, coming down to spy on him,—and in order to get rid of her,—and save himself, he strangled her.” All present stared at him, and Rodney Granniss flushed a deep red. “To a disinterested observer, Mr Wise,” he said, “it might easily appear that I was that thief. I knew the money had been put in the safe. I did not know Mrs Varian had removed it. I——” “Look here,” interrupted Zizi, “you talk too much! If you’re going to be suspected, for the love of cheese, let somebody else do it! Don’t meet trouble half way, and sing out, ‘Pleased to meetcha!’ Be careful, Mr Granniss.” “Hush up, Zizi,” Wise counseled her. “Children should be seen and not heard.” “All right, Penny, I’ll be good. Now, here’s a present for you.” She gave him the yellow beads given her by the cook. “Divulge,” he said, briefly, as he stared at the tiny objects in his palm. But Minna Varian had caught sight of them and had recognized them. “Oh!” she cried, “Betty! _Betty!_ Those are the beads she had on that day! Where did you get them? Where did they come from?” And then, before they could answer her, her over-wrought nerves gave way, her calm broke through the constraint she had put upon it, and she became hysterical. Granniss went at once for Mrs Fletcher, and the nurse took her patiently away.