约翰叔叔将韦斯特的卑鄙行径告诉了三个侄女，露易丝提议设下陷阱，等着狡诈的韦斯特自投罗网。露易丝的秘密计划是什么呢？他们会成功地引诱韦斯特上钩吗？
Uncle John was forced to acknowledge to his nieces that his boast to unmask Bob West within three days was mere blusteringa.If he accomplished anything in three weeks he would consider himself fortunate.But he had no wish to conceal anything from the girls，so he told them frankly of his interview with the hardware merchant，and also what Joe Wegg had said about the stock in the locked cupboard.They were，of course，greatly interested in this new phase of the matter and canvassed it long and eagerly.
"The man is lying，of course，"said Patsy，"for Captain Wegg and poor Mr.Thompson could not transfer their stock to West after that fatal night when he brought to them the news of the ？re.""I believe the stock is still in this cupboard，"declaredUncle John.
"Unless West stole the keys and has taken it away，"suggested Louise.
"I'm sure he did not know about the secret drawer，"said her uncle."Probably he stole the keys and searched the cupboard；if he had found the stock he would have left the keys，which would then be of no further use to him.As he did not ？nd the stock certi？cates，he carried the keys away，that he might search again at his leisure.And they've never yet been returned.""Why，John，ye're possessed of the true detective instinct，"the Major remarked，admiringly."Your reasoning is at once clever and unassailablea.""I wonder，"mused Beth，"if we could tempt Mr.West tocome again to search the cupboard.""He will scarcely venture to do that while we are here，"replied Uncle John.
"I said 'tempt him，'Uncle."
"And what did you mean by that expression，Beth？""I'll think it over and tell you later，"she returned，quietly.
Ethel Thompson would have shown Joe Wegg how much she resented his leaving Millville without a word to her，had she not learned from Mr.Merrick the boy's sad condition.Knowing her old friend was ill，she determined to ignore the past and go to him at once，and Uncle John knew very well there would be explanations to smooth awayb all the former misunderstandings.
Joe was now aware of the fact that his letter to Ethel had never reached its destination，so，as soon as the girl had arrived and the ？rst rather formal greetings were over，he sent Kate Kebble to McNutt's to ask the agent to come over to the hotel at once.
The girl returned alone.
"Peggy says as he can't come，"she announced."Why not？"asked Joe.
"Says he's jest painted his off foot blue an'striped it withred，an'it hain't dried yit.""Go back，"said Joe，rmly."Tell Peggy he's in trouble，and it's likely to cost him more than a new coat of paint for his foot if he doesn't come here at once."Kate went back，and in due time the stump of McNutt'sfoot was heard on the stairs.He entered the room looking worried and suspicious，and the stern faces of Ethel and Joe did not reassure him，by any means.But he tried to disarm the pending accusation with his usual brazena impertinence.
"Nice time ter send fer me，this is，Joe，"he grumbled.
"It's gittin'so a feller can't even paint his foot in peace an'quiet.""Peggy，"said Joe，"when I went away，three years ago，I gave you a letter for Miss Ethel.What did you do with it？"Peggy's bulging eyes stared at his blue foot，which he turned first one side and then the other to examine the red stripes.
"It's this way，Joe，"he replied；"there wa'n't no postigestamp on the letter，an'Sam Cotting said it couldn't be posted no way 'thout a stamp.""It wasn't to be sent through the post—of？ce，"said the boy.
"I gave you a quarter to deliver it in person to Miss Ethel.""Did ye，Joe？did ye？""Of course I did.""Cur'ous，"said McNutt，leaning over to touch the footcautiously with one ？nger，to see if the paint was dry."Well，sir！""Well，Joe，there's no use gittin'mad 'bout it.Thet blamed quarter ye giv me rolled down a crack in the stoop，an'got lost.Sure.Got lost as easy as anything.""Well，what was that to me？""Oh，I ain't blamin'you，"said Peggy；"but 't were a good deal to me，I kin tell ye.A whole quarter lost！""Why didn't you take up a board，and get it again？""Oh，I did，"said McNutt.cheerfully."I did，Joe.But themoney was all black an'tarnished like，by thet time，an'didn't look at all like silver.Sam he wouldn't take it at the store，so my ol'woman she 'lowed she'd polish it up a bit.Ye know how sort o'vig'rous she is，Joe.She polished that blamed quarter the same way she jaws an'sweeps；she polished it 'til she rubbed both sides smooth as glass，an'then Sam wouldn't take it，nuther，'n'said it wasn't money any more.So I drilled two holes in it an'sewed it on my pants fer a 'spender butt'n.""But why didn't you deliver the letter？""Did ye 'spect I'd tramp way t'Thompson's Crossing fer nuthin'？""I gave you a quarter.""An'it turned out to be on'y a 'spender butt'n.Be reason'ble，Joe.""Where is the letter？""'Tain't a letter no more.It's on'y ol'fambly papers by thistime.Three years is—""Where is it？By thunder，Peggy，if you don't answer me I'll put you in jail for breach of trust！""Ye've changed，Joe，"sadly."Ye ain't no more like—""Where is it？""Behind the lookin'—glass in my sett'n—room.""Go and get it immediately，sir！""Ef I hev to cross thet dusty road twic't more，I'll hev to paint all over agin，an'thet's a fact.""Ethel，"said Joe，with the calmness of despair，"you'll have to telephone over to the Junction and ask them to send a constablea here at once.""Never mind，"cried McNutt，jumping up hastily；"I'llgo.Paint don't cost much，nohow."He stumped away，but on his return preferred to let Kate carry the soiled，torn envelope up to the young folks.The letter had palpablyb been tampered withc.It had been opened and doubtless read，and the ？ap clumsily glued down again.
