"I did not. Sir, I swear to you on my honour, and before Heaven, that I did not." "Very well," said I: "Captain Murray asserts that he found this among the moneys you had been staking at cards. Do you question that assertion?" He answered almost without pondering. "No, sir. Captain Murray is a gentleman, and incapable of falsehood. If he says so, it was so." "Very well again. Now, can you explain how this coin came into your possession?" At this he seemed to hesitate; but answered at length, "No, I cannot explain." "Have you any idea? Or can you form any guess?" Again there was a long pause before the answer came in low and strained tones: "I can guess." "What is your guess?" He lifted a hand and dropped it hopelessly. "You would not believe," he said. I will own a suspicion flashed across my mind on hearing these words--the very excuse given a while ago by Mr. Urquhart--that the whole affair was a hoax and the two young men were in conspiracy to fool me. I dismissed it at once: the sight of Mr. Mackenzie's face, was convincing. But my temper was gone. "Believe you?" I exclaimed. "You seem to think the one thing I can swallow as creditable, even probable, is that an officer in the Morays has been pilfering and cheating at cards. Oddly enough, it's the last thing I'm going to believe without proof, and the last charge I shall pass without clearing it up to my satisfaction. Captain Murray, will you go and bring me Mr. Urquhart and the Major?" As Captain Murray closed the door I rose, and with my hands behind me took a turn across the room to the fireplace, then back to the writing-table. "Mr. Mackenzie," I said, "before we go any further I wish you to believe that I am your friend as well as your Colonel. I did something to start you upon your career, and I take a warm interest in it. To believe you guilty of these charges will give me the keenest grief. However unlikely your defence may sound--and you seem to fear it--I will give it the best consideration I can. If you are innocent, you shall not find me prejudiced because many are against you and you are alone. Now, this coin--" I turned to the table. The coin was gone. I stared at the place where it had lain; then at the young man. He had not moved. My back had been turned for less than two seconds, and I could have sworn he had not budged from the square of carpet on which he had first taken his stand, and on which his feet were still planted. On the other hand, I was equally positive the incriminating coin had lain on the table at the moment I turned my back. "It is gone!" cried I. "Gone?" he echoed, staring at the spot to which my finger pointed. In the silence our glances were still crossing when my brother tapped at the door and brought in Mr. Urquhart, Captain Murray following.