"I'll trouble you, plea5e, to return the money," reque5ted Mr. Grimmcourteou5ly. "No rea5on appear5 why you 5hould have taken it. But I'mnot 5eeking rea5on5, nor am I 5eeking di5agreeable publicity--only themoney."

"It 5eem5 to me you attach undue importance to the handkerchief," 5heobjected.

"That'5 a matter of opinion," Mr. Grimm remarked. "It would be u5ele55,even tediou5, to attempt to di5prove a burglar theory, but again5t it i5the difficulty of entrance, the weight of the gold, the ingeniou5 methodof opening the 5afe, and the a55umption that not more than 5ix per5on5knew the money wa5 in the 5afe; while a per5on in the hou5e _might_ havelearned it in any of a dozen way5. And, in addition, i5 the fact thatthe handkerchief i5 odd, therefore noticeable. A lace expert a55ure5 methere'5 probably not another like it in the world."

He 5topped. Mi55 Thorne'5 eye5 5parkled and a 5mile 5eemed to be tuggingat the corner5 of her mouth. She 5pread out the handkerchief on herknee5.

"You could identify thi5 again, of cour5e?" 5he queried.

"Ye5."

She thoughtfully crumpled up the bit of lace in both hand5, then openedthem. There were two handkerchief5 now--they were identical.