Ingred chuckled delightedly. To use her own schoolgirl expression, she felt she "had him on toast." "More than you imagine! Who went into the Abbey Church, I should like to know, and sat in a pew for ever so long, and looked tender nothings? Oh yes! _I_ saw you, and a pretty sight it was, too!" she teased. Egbert was gazing at her as if he could scarcely believe his senses. "But--but--where were you?" he stuttered. "In the peep-hole!" exploded Ingred. "I could see right down into the church, and I watched you come in! I've been saving this up!" Egbert drew a long breath. "If I'd only known before!" he said slowly. "Ingred, stop laughing! You don't understand. Look here, will you go and tell Dad that you saw me there, and the exact day and time when it happened. You can remember that?" "Why, surely Father's the very last person you want to know?" said Ingred, sobering down. "No, he isn't, he's the one it's most important should hear about it from a reliable witness whom he can believe. I don't mind telling you about it now" (as Ingred expressed her astonishment in her face), "I'd got myself into a jolly old mess, and you'll be able to clear me! It was this way; I slipped out from the office one afternoon for an hour, and went into the Abbey as you saw. Well, when I got back, somebody had been into Dad's room during his absence, and a small sum of money was missing. He taxed me with taking it!" "_You!_ But why you?" exclaimed Ingred indignantly. "Because I was the only person who had access to his private room. I told Dad I had been out--which made him angrier still--but none of the clerks had happened to see me go or come back, and I had no other witness to prove my words. As a matter of fact, I went out before Father, and came back after he had returned, but he wouldn't take my word for it. You know what he is when he's angry. You simply can't argue with him! Then you made things ever so much worse by blurting out how I'd taken you to tea at the cafe, and bought you a bag. Father glared as if it proved I'd been spending stolen money!" "You were rather flush of cash that day," commented Ingred. "Yes, the fact is I'd been writing a short story, and it had been accepted by a newspaper. It's a poor enough thing, and I didn't sign my own name to it. I didn't want to tell them at home I was trying to write until I could do something better. Anyhow, I'd just cashed the check, and thought I'd give you a treat for once. I knew it was no use to explain to Father. Mother has stuck up for me, but I can tell you I've been having a time of it this last fortnight." "But, Egbert," said Ingred, frankly puzzled, "couldn't you have got Miss Bertrand to tell Dad where you were? It would have been better after all than letting him think you took the money." Egbert's face darkened again tragically.