"You are certain you are right, Mr. Tuller?" she asked, anxiously.

 

"Yes."

 

"Where did those papers come from?"

 

"Mr. Bartlett's desk at the iron works."

 

"As they were in my husband's safe I think you ought to give them to me."

 

"I will do so, Mrs. Bangs. But you must put them where they cannot be found."

 

"Trust me for that."

 

"The officers of the law may search the whole house."

 

"Dare they do such a thing?"

 

"Yes, but if everything is found square your husband can sue Bartlett for damages," and Jasper Tuller chuckled¹ loudly. "It will be a good joke on him."

 

"There are no more of the papers?"

 

"I will take another look and make sure."

 

This was done, but no more papers belonging to Philip Bartlett could be found. Then the safe was locked once more.

 

"I will put these papers away at once," said Mrs. Bangs and left the library with the documents in her hand. She was gone all of five minutes and came back smiling quietly to herself.

 

"Now they are safe," she said. "Nobody can possibly find them."

 

"I am glad to hear it," answered Tuller. "Now I had better be going—before Bartlett appears. Don't say anything about my having been here."

 

"I will not."

 

"And another thing, Mrs. Bangs. Pretend not to know how to open the safe. That will compel them to break it open, and your husband's case against Bartlett will be so much stronger."

 

"I shall follow your advice, Mr. Tuller. But look, somebody is coming already!" went on the fashionable woman, as a carriage turned in from the road and came toward the horse block.

 

"I must get out of this! Can I go by a back door?"

 

"To be sure," said Mrs. Bangs, and showed the way. As Tuller slipped out and passed toward the back road where Randy had had an encounter with Bob Bangs, there came a ring at the front door.

 

"Good-morning, Mrs. Bangs," said Mr. Bartlett. "Is your husband at home?"

 

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