"Reflect. When you rose on Saturday morning you found that Mrs. Dowsett and her daughter had gone away suddenly. You knew nothing at that moment of poor Lizzie's death, and therefore had nothing to trouble you. Did it not strike you as strange that your guardian did not mention the part of the country they had gone to? Or if, your mind being greatly occupied with the arranged interview with Mr. and Mrs. Melladew on the following day, you did not then think it strange that your guardian said nothing of Margate--do you not think so now?" "Yes," answered Carton thoughtfully, "I do think so now." "How did you learn that Mrs. Dowsett was stopping at 28 Athelstan Road?" "By accident. My guardian opened a letter this morning, and a piece of paper dropped from it. I picked it up, and as I gave it to him I saw 28 Athelstan Road written on it. 'Is that where Mrs. Dowsett and Letitia are stopping?' I asked; and he answered, 'Yes.'" "So that it was not directly through him that you learnt the address?" "No; but I don't see that it is of any importance." It was not my cue to enter into an argument, therefore I did not reply to this remark. I had gained from Carton information which, lightly as he regarded it, I deemed of the highest importance. There was, however, still something more which I desired to speak of, but which I scarcely knew how to approach. After a little reflection I made a bold plunge. "Is your fortune under your own control?" "Yes." "Do you keep a large balance at your bank?" "Pretty fair; but just now it does not amount to much. Still, if you want any----" "I do not want any. Am I right in conjecturing that there is a special reason for your balance being small just now?" "There _is_ a special reason. On Saturday morning, before I left home, I drew a large cheque----" "Which you gave to your guardian." "How do you know that?" asked Carton, in a tone of surprise. "It was but a guess. What was the amount of the cheque?" "Two thousand pounds." "Payable to 'order' or 'bearer'?" "To 'bearer.' It was for two investments which Mr. Dowsett recommended. That was the reason for the cheque being made payable to 'bearer,' to enable my guardian to pay it to two different firms. He said both the investments would turn out splendidly, but it matters very little to me now whether they do or not. All the money in the world will not bring happiness to me now that my poor Lizzie is dead." "Do you know whether your guardian cashed the cheque?" "I do not; I haven't asked him anything about it. I could think only of one thing." "I can well imagine it. Thank you for answering my questions so clearly. By and by you may know why I asked them."