“If you suspect who put the bonds into your pocket,” Jack was saying, “don’t you think the easiest way to clear it up would be directly to accuse the suspect?”

“No,” answered Ed, “for I feel that it will all come out shortly, without any unnecessary publicity.  You see, the money and bonds may only have been—­er—­well, let’s say borrowed.  Just as many banks are robbed.  Or the person who took it may have thought there was only a small sum in the wallet, and finding such a large one, probably became terribly frightened, and did not know what to do.”

“Well, of course it’s your affair,” returned Jack and looked thoughtful, “but, in a measure, it affects my sister.”

“It never did affect your sister, Jack, and never can.  I am sorry about the wallet being found in her car, but there never was the most remote—­”

“Oh, I know, of course not, on your part.  But others—­”

“No one ever really suspected her.  And, what is more, I have it from her own lips that she would rather not have the guilty ones punished, for she thinks, as I do, that the money and bonds were not taken as a deliberate robbery.”

“Well, what are you going to do—­wait?”

“Yes.  I shall invest these bonds so they will be safe, and then let time do the rest.  I do not think we shall have long to wait.  They have been holding the bank stock for me, so I have not really suffered—­thus far.”

“Well, you certainly are a cool one!” complimented Jack.  “If I thought some one had my money—­some coward, as this person must be, to keep silent all this while—­I would never sleep until I had it back.”

Ed smiled rather indulgently and indifferently.

“Well, you see,” he went on, “I have gotten along so many years without the use of that twenty thousand dollars that I did not miss it when it was taken.  Of course, I am losing interest on it, but I can easily make that up.”

“Then suppose we retire?” suggested Jack, for Ed was to be his guest for the remainder of the night.  “I am actually sweltering in these togs.  Aren’t you in a hurry to get back into yourself and be just Ed Foster?”

“No; I rather like being Adonis.  I fancy I like him infinitely more than I cotton to that Foster chap,” and he laughed.

“Well, you made a hit,” complimented Jack.

“Thanks.”

Ed stood up and surveyed himself in a pier glass.  He laughed at the figure he presented, but there was a serious look upon his handsome face.  Fancy Adonis being serious!

“You also made good, Jack,” he said after a pause.  “I don’t know when I’ve seen a braver brave.  Do you ever expect to get that stuff off your face in time to go back to college?”

“I guess it will wear off.  If it doesn’t I’ll use gasolene from the auto tank, or take a steam bath at some lady beauty doctress’s establishment.”  He rubbed his countenance vigorously with his handkerchief.  “If it doesn’t remove,” he added, “I’ll tell “em I’ve got the jaundice.”