But, a yard from the safe, the woman’s listlessness vanished, her face flamed, and then went more pallid than ever. Never before had her brother done such a thing!!—gone out of the shop, leaving his keys in the safe. Her opportunity at last! She ran softly to the door that opened on the post office and put her ear to it. Several persons were demanding the postmaster’s attention. There was time as well as opportunity! She darted back to the safe . . . opened it, then the drawer on the left . . . searched . . . and found what she sought—the letter written to her brother by Kitty’s father when he was dying. She hid it in her bosom, to read when she might safely do so. She left the safe as she had found it, took up the mugs of money and proceeded to supply the tills with change. The letter seemed to scorch her breast. She could not wait. Summoning the boy, she bade him keep an eye on the shop for a few minutes, and passed into the cottage. In the kitchen, she seated herself at the hearth and, quaking, took out the letter. The only portion which concerns us is the following:— “You may perhaps find nothing in the enclosed share certificates (which, please note, are ‘bearer’) but a fresh evidence of my folly in worldly matters. Still, the Zenith Gold Mine is the only thing of the kind I ever put hard-earned money into. There are 5,000 £1 shares, and I paid 2s. apiece for them, and at the moment they are unsaleable. I acted on the advice of a friend who had seen the property, and who had knowledge of such things. He was convinced that the mine would come right in time—meaning years—and pay big dividends. Well, he may have been all wrong, and I the silliest of poor fools; but now, John, I put the shares in your keeping as a ‘possibility’ for Kitty, when she comes of age. I have never mentioned them to her—certainly not with any reference to herself—for I don’t want her to be more disappointed in me than I can help. Give them to her when she is twenty-one, and show her this letter, and if by any chance they are worth money then, or later, she will at least repay you what she may have cost you—though, of course, I am hoping she will earn enough to do that as she goes along. “N.B.—Should you hear of the shares rising before then, you will just use your discretion, and do the best you can for my girl.” Miss Corrie swayed as though she would fall. “So that’s why he would never let me read it properly!” she muttered. “Oh, John Corrie, what ha’ ye done!” After a little while she obtained control over her body. “What made him keep a thing like that? It should ha’ been burned—burned and forgot!” She reached forward, held the letter over the fire—and drew it back. “But what if he misses it from the safe?”