"I didn't take it! Felix, I didn't, really." She lifted her head to look eagerly at him. "You take a bank-note! I should think not. My sister a thief!! Who ever dared to hint at such a thing?" "But it disappeared! Don't you remember? I told you, ever so long ago. And you never answered me." "I remember something, not much. You said they couldn't find a bank-note; but I supposed it was all right, as you never said any more." "They found it afterwards—some time after—locked in one of my boxes." "Whew!" "And ever since—even uncle believes that I stole it." "Then he's a noodle!" declared Felix shortly. "What sort of box?" "My biggest,—the one I have all Sissie's things in. I always keep it locked." "Who found the note?" "Mrs. Bryant and Susanna. Mrs. Bryant wanted to have my room turned out, and she insisted on having the keys of my boxes. I was going off for the day with uncle, so I could not help myself. And when we came back in the evening, she had found the bank-note; she and Susanna together." Lettice found it a wonderful relief to pour out all this; and Felix drew her on to tell a good deal more, by questions at intervals. If his tone were dry, it was not indifferent. A lurid gleam came into his eyes. "Plain enough!" he said at length. "Mrs. Bryant put it into your box herself." Astonishment at his penetration rendered Lettice dumb. "That woman hates you like sin. I saw,—it was clear enough. She's afraid you may stand in the way of her interests. You're not half sharp, child! But I should have thought Dr. Bryant had more sense." "He did hold out for a long time. He wouldn't believe I could do such a thing. But when the note was actually found there—" "Where it had been actually put by his own wife!" "Felix—you can't know—" "Can't prove it, if you like. I know well enough. Why else should she have arranged so cleverly to get to the box, and to have Susanna at hand just at the right moment?" "But still—" "And you have no more doubt of the fact than I have!" What could Lettice say? "Well!!" and Felix drew one long breath of resolution. "You don't go back to them again in a hurry! That's flat." "But—" "You don't! It's settled! I'll have you to live with me. So you just send for the rest of your luggage." "Felix! O Felix! May I? May I really? Will you let me?" "Of course. I'm not going to have my sister treated in that fashion." "Oh, you dear, dear boy! You don't really mean it! Not—to live with you always!" "Yes!" "It will be so happy! I can't believe that it's true . . . And I'll work . . . I can work, you know . . . I'll teach, or copy, or do anything . . . And I'll eat as little as ever I can . . . I won't be a burden on you." "You keep quiet, and don't talk nonsense! I've had a rise lately." Felix gulped down a sudden recollection of his beloved savings. "If you don't eat, I'll make you. So you just be a sensible girl, and stop fretting. You have done with those people, once and for all." "Not uncle Maurice!"