Remembering my own boxes and Mr. Chandos's desk, I felt no doubt that false keys must be at hand. Mrs. Penn said she had not yet spoken to the servants, and Mr. Chandos nodded approval: he would wish to deal with it himself. For my part I had not seen the bag in my room, except in her possession, and did not notice whether she had carried it away or left it. She quitted the parlour, taking the bag and note and envelope. Mr. Chandos called Hickens and desired that Emma should be sent to him. The girl arrived in some wonder. But she could tell nothing; except that she found the bag lying on the floor by the window-seat, and carried it at once to Mrs. Penn. Harriet was next questioned. She had seen the bag lying in the window-seat the previous evening, she said, when she put the room to rights after Miss Hereford went down to dinner, and left it there, drawing the curtains before it. "Did you touch it?" asked Mr. Chandos. "Yes, sir. I took it up in my hand, and thought what a pretty thing it was: I had never seen it before." "Did you open it?" "Open it? No, sir, that I did not. I think it was locked, for I saw there was a key-hole: at any rate, it was close shut. I did not keep it in my hands a moment, but put it down where I found it, and drew the curtains." "Who else went into Miss Hereford's room last evening?" "Why, sir, how can I tell?" returned Harriet, after a pause of surprise. "What I have to do in the room does not take five minutes, and I am not anigh it afterwards. Twenty folks might go in and out without my knowing of it." That both the girls were innocent there could be no question. Then who was guilty? In undrawing the curtains that morning I must have pulled the bag off the window-seat, which caused me not to see it. Hill went into a fit of temper when she heard of the affair. "I don't believe there's one of the maids would do such a thing, Mr. Harry. What should they want with other folk's letters? And where would they get gum from to stick them down?" "There's some gum on my mantelpiece, Hill: I use it with my drawings," I said to her. "Ah, well, gum or no gum, they'd not cut open letters," was Hill's reply, given with obstinacy. "There must be false keys in the house, Mr. Chandos," I began, as Hill went out. "There's something worse than that—a spy," was his answer. "Though the one implies the other." And I thought I could have put my hand upon her—Lizzy Dene. But it was only a doubt. I was not sure. And, being but a doubt, I did not consider I ought to speak. Some days elapsed with nothing particular to record, and then some money was missed. Mr. Chandos and I were together as usual in the oak-parlour. Opening his desk, he called out rather sharply, and I looked up from my work. "So! they have walked into the trap, have they!" he cried, searching here and there in it. "I thought so." "What is it, Mr. Chandos?" I asked, and he presently turned to me, quitting the table.