“I know!  It’s three against two!  Good-bye, June Holiday Home, with your steam heat and Miss Sniffen!  We must adjourn—­there’s Mrs. Grace and Mrs. Winslow Teed!”

For the ride home Polly sat between Miss Crilly and David in Dr. Dudley’s car.

“Isn’t that a great bluff of Miss Sniffen’s?” Miss Crilly’s tone was too confidential even for Polly’s quick ears.  The repeated question carried as far as David—­Polly knew from his sudden change of expression.  But Miss Crilly talked on.  “Seemed as if I must tell!  I never was so stirred up in my life!  It’s the last thing I should thought of!”

Polly gave her a cautionary smile.

“O-o-h!” Miss Crilly cast a frightened glance in David’s direction.

“A motor-car isn’t the best place for talking secrets,” he laughed.  “But I won’t peep!”

“I haven’t let any cat out!” retorted Miss Crilly.

She and David tossed merry sallies back and forth; but Polly was uncomfortable.  David would think she did not trust him.  She wished Miss Crilly had not referred to the matter.

“Come on down to dinner!” invited David, after they had said good-bye to Miss Sterling and Miss Crilly.

“Oh, I’d love to!” beamed Polly.  “I’ll run in and ask mother.”

He hailed his uncle’s chauffeur, and bade him wait.

In a moment she was back and they stepped into Colonel Gresham’s car.

“I am going to share my secret with you,” David smiled, glancing doubtfully at the man ahead.

“Otto,” he said tentatively, without raising his voice above the tone he had used for Polly.  The man did not stir.  “Otto,” a little louder.  No answer.

He nodded complacently.  “I wanted to make sure of him,” he smiled.  “Now I’ll go on.”

“The other isn’t my secret, David, or I’d tell you!” Polly hastened to explain.

“That’s all right!” laughed David.  “Perhaps this chimes in with yours, and perhaps it doesn’t.  Last night I went up to Billy Marble’s, and when I was along by Ford Street I noticed a man and a woman a little distance ahead.  I was walking pretty fast, and as I came up behind them and was wondering which way I’d go by,—­you know the sidewalk is narrow there,—­a light struck across the woman’s face, and I saw it was Mrs. Nobbs.  I didn’t know the man.  Has she relatives here?”

“A brother, I think, a bachelor brother.”

“Tall, is he?”

“Yes.”

“This man was.  Probably it was he.  I had on my sneaks—­that’s why they didn’t hear me.  I was pretty near, when I caught something that excited my curiosity.  I heard the words distinctly,—­’I wouldn’t be in her shoes for all the money she has made out of June Holiday Home!’—­’And that’s no small sum, I’ll warrant!’ the man replied.—­’Small!’ she exclaimed; ’she’s robbing them every day of her life!  But she’s in a terrible fix now, and I guess she knows it!  I can’t