"No," said Mr. Redmain; "she must stay where she is. I fancy
something happened last night which she has got to tell us
about."
"Ah! What was that?" asked Mr. Brett, facing round on her.
Mary began her story with the incident of her having been pursued
by some one, and rescued by the blacksmith, whom she told her
listeners she had known in London. Then she narrated all that had
happened the night before, from first to last, not forgetting the
flame that lighted the closet as they approached the window.
"Just let me see those memoranda," said Mr. Brett to Mr. Redmain,
rising, and looking for the paper where he had left it the day
before.
"It was of that paper I was this moment thinking," answered Mr.
Redmain.
"It is not here!" said Mr. Brett.
"I thought as much! The fool! There was a thousand pounds there
for her! I didn't want to drive her to despair: a dying man must
mind what he is about. Ring the bell and see what Mewks has to
say to it."
Mewks came, in evident anxiety.
I will not record his examination. Mr. Brett took it for granted
he had deliberately and intentionally shut out Mary, and Mewks
did not attempt to deny it, protesting he believed she was boring
his master. The grin on that master's face at hearing this was
not very pleasant to behold. When examined as to the missing
paper, he swore by all that was holy he knew nothing about it.
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