"First me!" said Kezia sharply. "You'm the eldest. You can take first," said the generous Bessie. Then she inclined her head towards the door and whispered, "Ain't that someone in the hall?" "'Tis only Miss Nellie," said Kezia. "There's a drop o' cocoa left in the saucepan, Bess." "I'm sorry us had words today, Kezia," said Bessie, as she took the drop. "Don't ye say anything more about it. I'm sure the dear missus would walk if she fancied we weren't friendly. But I do wish she hadn't got so forgetful like." "That ain't Nellie!" cried Bessie, listening again. "Sounds as if Miss Sophy had got out of bed and fallen down." "'Twas a bump vor certain. I'm agoing to see," said Bessie, opening the kitchen door. She advanced along the passage, but was back in a moment. "The hall door's wide open--and I saw a light from the parlour." "There's a man in the house!" screamed Kezia. "Don't ye go out, Bess!" "Who's there?" called the valorous Bessie, advancing again to the passage. Then she shrunk back, crying: "Here's a young man--and here's an old 'un. They're carrying something. Don't ye go out, Kezia." "Oh, my dear, I ain't agoing to," faltered Kezia, retiring into the far corner of the scullery. "They'm running!" Bessie muttered. "One wur youngish, and t'other wur oldish. They ha' gone now. I heard 'em shut the gate." "'Tis they Brocks," whispered Kezia in terror of her life. "'Tis somebody who knew Miss Sophy wur lying ill in bed." Bessie took the lamp and went forth boldly, calling a challenge at every step. Presently Kezia plucked up courage to follow, and they went together into the parlour. The musical box had disappeared: so had the pair of silver candlesticks, the Russian Ikon, and various other rich and rare antiquities. "Oh, Kezia; ain't it awful in a Christian country!" exclaimed Bessie. "Go vor policeman! No, don't ye--they may come back again." Then Kezia's eyes fell upon the mummy, and she cried hysterically, "Thank heaven they ha' spared the King of Egypt!" CHAPTER XIV THE GRABBERS The constable, an exceedingly able man who was expecting to become a sergeant, gave it as his opinion that a thief had been at work. In support of this theory he pointed out certain prints of hob-nailed boots, which upon examination he discovered to be his own. Thereupon he increased his reputation by a shake of the head, and the statement that, even in a small community, mysteries were bound to happen. Kezia began to mutter about Sidney Brock, who had eaten and drunk in her kitchen, and had endeavoured to entice Nellie into his harem; while Bessie had the effrontery to suggest she had seen two dark shadows, unquestionably substantial, disappearing along the lane in the direction of Black Anchor. "You can get to London by that road," replied the policeman. "Were they walking or running?" he inquired. "When I last saw 'em they was running fit to break their necks," said Bessie.