"Not then, only this afternoon," she explained. "I found them in a box under the mattress of Miss Susan's bed. Mrs. Parsons suspected that I was searching for something, for yesterday she told me that for a considerable sum of money she would aid me." "That woman was a fiend incarnate!" ejaculated Rodgers. "She sho'ly was, Sah," agreed Oscar. "She done her bes' to make me tell de police that ole Miss let people have money. Yo' see, Miss Kitty, ole Miss had me to help her, an' I promised never to tell, an' I never broke my promise, never." "Oscar!" Kitty's eyes were dim with tears as she laid her hand on the faithful servant's shoulder. "Where did you disappear yesterday?" "Jes' went down to my rooms an' laid low," promptly. "Mandy an' me thought things were gettin' kinda critical 'round hyar. Las' night I heered yo' an' Mister Rodgers a-plannin' to see Mister Craige, an' then I went home again, scared stiff." "Wait, Oscar--" Rodgers interrupted him quickly. "Why did you ask me to find Miss Kitty's red coat?" "I seen some one a-wearin' dat coat enter dis house as I was passin' along de street late Sunday night," the negro explained. "I couldn't swear it warn't yo', Miss Kitty, an' I couldn't swear it were; but I calculated dat whoever 'twas might a lef' somethin' in de coat pockets to tell on them." "It was a clever thought," exclaimed Rodgers. "But it would have been better had you taken me entirely into your confidence, Oscar." "Yessir." But Oscar looked doubtful. "I was mighty concarned 'bout Miss Kitty, 'deed I was, Sah. It warn't 'till jes' a spell back that that detecertif man, Mister Welsh, who tried to find me in Front Royal an' at las' found me to home, 'splained to me I had orter be hyar wif yo', Honey, Miss Kitty, so then I comed round wif him." Leigh Wallace heard the old man to the end, then stared moodily across the library. He started for the doorway and turned around. "I've destroyed your letters, Nina," he said. "I, forgive me, I feared that you had killed Miss Susan Baird on Sunday night. That was why I was so overcome when the crime was discovered. Mr. Potter," he spoke with deep feeling. "Your wife loves you devotedly. I am but a forgotten incident in her life. I received my orders for foreign service to-day. Good-by." He clicked his heels together and with a bow which included all in the library, turned and strode from the room. At sound of the front door closing, Potter stepped forward. He was oblivious of any one's presence but his wife. "Nina, can you forgive me?" he asked humbly. "I have acted the part of a jealous fool." Nina's answer was not in words. With a face in which joy obliterated the shadow of the past few days, she slipped her arm within his and he led her from the room.