"Well, you, Miss Carwell," and Blossom nodded to the older lady, "have
your own money in trust funds. Mr. Carwell could not touch them. But
he did use part of the fortune left you by your mother," he added to
Viola.

"I don't mind that," was her steady answer. "If my father needed my
money he was welcome to it. That is past and gone. What now remains
to me?"

"Very little," answered LeGrand Blossom. "I may be able to pull the
business through and save something, but there is a lot of money lost
- spent or gone somewhere. I haven't yet found out. Your father
speculated too much, and unwisely. I told him, but he would pay no
heed to me."

"Do you think he knew, before his death, that his affairs were in such
bad shape?" asked the dead man's sister.

"He must have, for I saw him going over the books several times."

"Do you think this knowledge impelled him toto end his life?" faltered
Viola.

LeGrand Blossom considered a moment before answering. Then he slowly
said:

"It was either that, or - or, well, some one killed him. There are no
two ways about it."

"I believe some one killed him!" burst out Viola. "But I think the