The Spaniard was even darker than is usual with people of his race; also he had an eagle nose and hair very straight, glossy and black. His eyes were large and brilliant, his mouth rather full and a trifle sensual, and his lean, alert figure was peculiarly straight and upright. Added to these advantages he wore a heavy black moustache, which he twirled at times with an insolent air; so that on the whole he was a remarkably handsome man. But there was something uncivilised about him--a strange, wild look, which suggested the soldier of fortune. Probably he was what he represented himself to be--a Peruvian gentleman serving as a captain in the army of the Republic; but to Torry--who was well read for a man of his position--he seemed like a buccaneer or filibuster. It was Captain Kidd in a frock-coat. At the present moment he seemed much agitated, and, leaning on his stick with both hands, challenged the regard of Leighbourne and Torry. Vass had thrown himself into a chair, and, as his pale face testified, seemed to be overcome with consternation. On the unexpected surprise of this sudden arrival there ensued a short silence; so finding that no one spoke, Captain Manuel addressed himself to all three on the subject of the robbery. "I gave Mr. Grent ten thousand pounds some three weeks ago," said he, his foreign accent becoming more pronounced in his excitement, "and I went to your bank this day to obtain it. Dios! what do I find!" "You find that Mr. Grent is dead," said Torry smoothly. "Yes sir; and my money gone, sir!" to Leighbourne. "I know you are a master in this bank. You will return to me my money." "That entirely depends on the circumstances of the case, Señor Manuel," replied the banker, who looked pale but composed. "Vass, perhaps you can throw some light on this subject?" "On my soul I can't, sir," cried Vass, starting to his feet. "I only know that Mr. Grent told me he had received in bank notes the sum of ten thousand pounds from Captain Manuel some three weeks ago. He kept the money for some time down at Wray House; but as he was going to Italy, he did not think it would be safe to leave it there; so he brought it up to the bank and told me to place it in his private safe. I did so in his presence, and he locked the door. Afterwards he went away, and I heard nothing more of him until the news of the murder came." "If this is true, my money should be right," said Manuel sharply. "It is not in the safe!" cried Vass wildly. "When Captain Manuel came to-day to ask for his money, I told him that I could not give it to him as I had no authority to do so. He wished then to see if it was all right, so in his presence I opened the safe, only to find that the notes were gone." "Well Mr. Grent could not have taken them," said Leighbourne. "No, no," said Vass; "He did not. I tell you he locked the safe in my presence." "Could he not have returned?" asked Torry. "Not without someone in the bank seeing him."