"That Langmore girl has engaged a detective named Adam Adams to clear her, if he can. He was dodging around the house when I was there, and somehow it's got into my head that he knows about the counterfeits."
"No, he's a private detective. I don't know much about him, but they say he's a pretty good one," continued John Watkins.
"I'm thinking that perhaps he was at the safe after I opened it. The safe is of a make in which the combination can be changed with ease. He could have looked into it and then have changed the numbers. I certainly didn't forget the old combination--it was so easy, four on forty, three on thirty and two on twenty--but that wouldn't open it when I went back."
"Can't you get in with him and find out what's what?" suggested Matlock Styles. "You can tell him that you are working up this case of the counterfeits."
"I may do that. The trouble is, these private detectives don't like to go in with an outsider--they are too much afraid of losing the credit for what they are trying to do."
At that moment the door bell of the house rang and soon one of the girls came upstairs.
"Mr. Martin is below," said she to John Watkins.
"Is that so? Tell him I will see him in a minute." The secret service man turned to the Englishman. "He is a real estate man who is going to sell this house for me. I'd forgotten that I had an appointment with him."
"Never mind, give me that money you promised and I'll be going," answered Matlock Styles. "I've got a lot of things to attend to in the next few days."
"I'll give it to you in the library. The money is in the safe," was the answer, and then both of the men left the room.
Adam Adams descended to the ground and walked slowly to the front of the house. In a few minutes he saw the Englishman step out on the front piazza followed by the secret service man.
"Where are you going now?" asked the latter.
"Home and to bed," was the reply. "Goodnight. Will I see you to-morrow?"
"Either to-morrow or the day after. I want to settle up this real estate deal. I promised my wife I'd do it."
The Englishman came away from the house and hurried along the street to where the trolley car ran. He boarded a car moving towards the depot and Adam Adams did the same. At the depot Matlock Styles took a train for home.