The thing had been tracked home to Benjamin Rymer by the man Cotton, Lee explained in a rambling sort of tale. Cotton, incensed at Rymer's not helping him to some money--which was what he had come to Timberdale to ask for--had told in revenge of the past transaction. Cotton had not been connected with it, but knew of the part taken in it by Rymer. "I don't believe a syllable of it," said the Squire, stoutly, flinging himself into his bureau chair, which he twisted round to face the fire. "You can sit down, Lee. Where did you say you heard this?" Lee had heard it at the Plough and Harrow, where the man Cotton had been staying. Jelf, the landlord, had been told it by Cotton himself, and Jelf in his turn had whispered it to Lee. That was last night: and Lee had come up with it now to Mr. Todhetley. "I tell you, Lee, I don't believe a syllable of it," repeated the Squire. "It be true as gospel, sir," asserted Lee. "Last night, when I went in to Jelf's for a drop of beer, being stiff all over with the cold, I found Jelf in a passion because a guest had gone off without paying part of his score, leaving nothing but a letter to say he'd send it. Cotton by name, Jelf explained, and a sporting gent to look at. A good week, Jelf vowed he'd been there, living on the best. And then Jelf said I had no cause to be looked down upon any longer, for it was not me that had done that trick with the bank-notes, but Benjamin Rymer." "Now just stop, Lee," interrupted the Squire. "Nobody looked down upon you for it, or suspected you: neither Jelf nor other people. I have told you so times enough." "But Jelf knows I thought they did, sir. And he told me this news to put me a bit at my ease. He----" "Jelf talks at random when his temper's up," cried the Squire. "If you believe this story, Lee, you'll believe anything." "Ben Rymer was staying at home at the time, sir," urged Lee, determined to have his say. "If he is steady now, it's known what he was then. He must have got access to the letters somehow, while they lay at his father's that night, and opened yours and changed the note. Cotton says Mr. Ben had had the stolen note hid about him for ever so long, waiting an opportunity to get rid of it." "Do you mean to accuse Mr. Ben of being one of the thieves who robbed the butcher's till?" demanded the Squire, growing wrathful. "Well, sir, I don't go as far as that. The man told Jelf that one of the stolen notes was given to young Rymer to pass, and he was to have a pound for himself if he succeeded in doing it." The Squire would hardly let him finish. "Cotton said this to Jelf, did he?--and Jelf rehearsed it to you?" "Yes, sir. Just that much." "Now look you here, Lee. First of all, to whom have you repeated this tale?" "Not to anybody," answered Lee. "I thought I'd better bring it up here, sir, to begin with."