"This way. John Strasfield had all the cheques drawn last week sent to him for the usual purpose of verification--he has his own ways of doing his business, you know. In looking over them he was rather struck with this cheque, because it was drawn to self. Self, too; not selves. After regarding it for a minute or two, another thought struck him--that the signature was not quite like yours. So he brought the cheque to me. I don't think you signed it." Mr. Grubb rose and closed the door, which he had left ajar after opening it for Lady Adela, the evening being very warm. John Strasfield was their confidential cashier in Leadenhall Street. "If it is your signature, your hand must have been nervous when you wrote it," continued Mr. Howard, "rendering the letters less decided than usual." That Mr. Grubb had been nervous on Saturday morning he was quite conscious of; though not, he believed, to the extent of making his hand unsteady. But he had not drawn any cheque. "It was drawn in favour of self, you say. Was it signed with my private signature, Francis C. C. Grubb?" "No; with the firm's signature, Grubb and Howard. Glyn's people suspected nothing wrong, and cashed it." "Who presented the cheque?" "Charles Cleveland. And he received the money." "Charles Cleveland!" repeated Mr. Grubb, in surprise, his whole attention fully aroused now. "There is some mystery about this." "So it seemed to me," answered the elder man. "Cleveland stayed out of town today--by your leave, I think you said." "Yes, he asked me on Saturday to let him have today; he was going down to Netherleigh: his elder brother, Captain Cleveland, meant to run down there to say good-bye, Charles will be back tonight, I suppose. But--I don't understand about this cheque." "I'm sure I don't," said Mr. Howard. "Except that Charles Cleveland got it cashed." "Where did Charles Cleveland procure the cheque?" asked Mr. Grubb, his head all in a puzzle. "Who drew the cheque? Where's the money? Howard, there must be some mistake in your information." "It was Saturday morning that you left the cheque-book at home, and sent Cleveland for it, if you remember," said Mr. Howard, quietly. "Ah, to be sure it was; I do remember. A long while he was gone." "You asked him what made him so long: I chanced to be in your room at the moment: and he said he had been doing a little errand for himself. Well, during the period of his absence, that is, somewhere between ten and half-past eleven, the cheque was presented by him at Glyn's, and cashed. What does it all say?" concluded Mr. Howard. Francis Grubb looked a little bewildered. No clear idea upon the point was suggesting itself to his mind. "I thought young Cleveland was given to improvident habits," resumed Mr. Howard, "but I never suspected he was one to help himself to money in this way; to----"