There was no certain data to go upon, as to the time of the loss. George Godolphin stated that he had missed them a month ago; Thomas, when visiting Lord Averil's box for some purpose about four months ago, had seen the deeds there, secure. They must have disappeared between those periods. The mystery was--how? The clerks could not get to the strong-room and to the safes and cases in it, unless by some strange accident; by some most unaccountable neglect. Very great neglect it would have been, to allow them the opportunity of getting to one key; but to obtain three or four, as was necessary before those deeds could have been taken, and to obtain them undiscovered, was next door to an impossibility. The internal arrangements in the house of Godolphin, Crosse, and Godolphin were of a stringent nature; Sir George Godolphin had been a most particular man in business. Conjecture upon conjecture was hazarded: theory after theory discussed. When Mr. Hurde found the deeds were really gone, his amazement was excessive, his trouble great. George, as soon as he could, stole away from the discussion. He had got over his part, better perhaps than he had expected: all that remained now, was to make the best of the loss--and to institute a search for the deeds. "I can't call to mind a single one of them who would do it, or be likely to do it," remarked Mr. Hurde to his master. "Of whom?" "Of the clerks in the house, sir. But, one of them, it must have been." "A stranger it could not have been," replied Thomas Godolphin. "Had a midnight plunderer got into the Bank, he would not have contented himself with one packet of deeds." "Whoever took them, sir, took them to make money upon them. There's not a doubt of that. I wonder--I wonder----" "What?" asked Mr. Godolphin. "I wonder--I have often wondered, sir--whether Layton does not live above his income. If so----" "Hurde," said Thomas Godolphin gravely, "I believe Layton to be as honest as you or I." "Well--I have always thought him so, or I should pretty soon have spoken. But, sir, the deeds must have gone somehow, by somebody's hands: and Layton is the least _un_likely of all. I see him on a Sunday driving his new wife out in a gig. She plays the piano, too!" How these items in the domestic economy of the clerk, Layton, could bear upon the loss of the deeds, especially the latter item, Mr. Hurde did not further explain. He was of the old school, seeing no good in gigs, still less in pianos; and he determined to look a little after Mr. Layton.