"Oh, sugar!" he murmured. "This here is Arad Thompson’s car. You don’t s’pose he’s come to bring me and Heppy our money, do you? It ’ud please Heppy purt’ nigh to death." CHAPTER XXI THE RISING TIDE OF DOUBT Lorna Nicholet made no further comment, waiting anxiously for the big blue limousine to approach. Surely it would stop before the lighthouse. It did. The door of the car opened. But the crippled Arad Thompson did not appear. Instead, a broad-hatted stranger in a rusty black suit stepped out of the car. "That’s Rafe Silver driving, as usual," murmured Tobias. "But who is this fellow? He ain’t no acquaintance of mine." The stranger came promptly to the lighthouse door. He glanced sharply from the lightkeeper sitting on the bench with his pipe to the young woman in the doorway, and back again. "You are Mr. Tobias Bassett?" was his opening speech. "I cal’late." "Mr. Arad Thompson has sent me to you for some information." "I’m chock-full of it," rejoined Tobias easily, putting his pipe between his lips again and waving his hand. "Confidential information," continued the man, glancing again at Lorna. "That’s all right," said Tobias. "This young woman knows almost as much as I do, and a little extry information won’t hurt her a mite. What was you lookin’ to find out?" "My inquiry is in regard to the robbery of the Clinkerport Bank night before last." He threw back the left lapel of his coat with a practiced gesture, revealing a glittering badge pinned near the armhole of his vest. "Oh, sugar!" murmured Tobias. "A real detective? I cal’late I’m pinched." Lorna dropped a fluttering hand upon his shoulder, but then saw that the old lightkeeper was still smiling cheerfully. "You fire ahead, Mister." "Did you ever see this knife before you picked it up under the bank window?" and the detective displayed the toy in his palm. "Oh, sugar! Can’t say as I did. And yet I might. Seems to me—wal, I cal’late I better say no and be done with it. I can’t somehow seem to place that thing," declared the lightkeeper, in deep reflection. He did not notice Lorna’s expression of countenance. "I hope you will not withhold your opinion, Mr. Bassett," said the detective. "You take it from me, Mister," Tobias rejoined grimly, "I ain’t going to refuse any information that may lead to the recovery of the bank’s money and the arrest of the burglars. Me and Heppy’s got an eight thousand dollar interest in the robbery, as ye might say." "You are prepared to help us, then, no matter who is hit, are you?" "I cal’late," agreed Tobias wonderingly. The detective produced a little red-covered notebook from his pocket. He thrust it toward the lightkeeper. "Did you ever see this before?" "I don’t know. Can’t be sure that I ever did. But, mebbe."