did. I remember hearing a click while I was explaining things to Colonel

Morrell, but I thought nothing of it. Somebody, probably Arthur Gates himself, must have heard that conversation.”

After the crestfallen detective had departed they talked it over, realizing that the game was up. There was now no hope of ever recovering the cup.

“I guess we’ll just have to go without knowing what was on that cup that made it worth while for Gates to steal,” the colonel admitted. “Now, the only thing for me to do is to have another Alumni meeting soon after Christmas and have Long there. At that meeting we’ll publicly clear him and let it go at that.”

“All I can say is that Mr. Proctor is not the best detective in the world,” said Douglas.

“No,” seconded the colonel. “He should never have called up from the house, or from any other place. He should have come directly here and told me things personally. Well, boys, that is the end of the cup affair. I thank you most heartily for your very real interest in it and your services to Mr. Long. That ends the matter of the 1933 class’s trophy as far as we are concerned, with the exception of the apology to Long.”