"It is altogether very strange," repeated Mr. Cleveland, in a musing tone, as he sat stroking his face and thinking. "Will you state the particulars to me, as far as you are cognizant of them. I asked Charles to do so, but he would not." "It occurred on Saturday morning," began Mr. Grubb. "When I reached the City, here, I found I had not got with me the cheque-book of the firm, which I had taken away by mistake the previous evening; and I sent Charles home to look for it. He was a long while gone, but brought it when he came. During the period of his absence one of the cheques was abstracted, filled up for five hundred pounds, and----" "Filled up by whom?" "The writing was an imitation of mine. Charles presented it at Glyn's, and got it cashed. All this he acknowledges to; but he refuses to say what he did with the money." "Mr. Grubb," cried the agitated father, "appearances are against him--were never, I perceive, more strongly against any one; but, before Heaven I believe him to be innocent." Mr. Grubb made no reply. "He has assured me of his innocence by the memory of his dead mother; and innocent I am sure he must be. He stated in the same breath that he should avow it to no one else, but submit to the penalty of the crime just as though he had committed it. As to what he did with the money--he could not have used it for himself. On that very Saturday afternoon he had to borrow money to bring him down to Netherleigh the next morning. John Cust lent it him." "It is very singular," acknowledged Mr. Grubb. "Charles confessed as much to me at Netherleigh--that he had borrowed the money from Cust to get down with; three pounds, I think it was. I gave him a five-pound note, and a lecture with it. He promised to be more cautious for the future, and said that after Harry left he should not have occasion to spend much--which is true. But now, what I would like to know is this--if he drew that money, that five hundred pounds, where is it? How came it that the next hour, so to say, he had none in his pocket?" Mr. Grubb certainly could not answer, and remained silent. "Has he been made the instrument of another?" returned Mr. Cleveland. "Was be imposed upon by any one?--sent to cash a cheque that he himself thought was a genuine and proper cheque?" "That is scarcely likely. Were it the case, what objection could he have to declare it? My opinion is--I am sorry to have to give it--that Charles had got into some desperate money trouble, and used desperate remedies to extricate himself." "What more desperate trouble could he be in than this?" "True. But he may have hoped we should be lenient. Even now," added Mr. Grubb, his voice trembling with the concern he felt; "we might be able to save him if he would only disclose the truth. Mr. Howard absolutely refuses to quash the matter unless he does so: and I think he is right."