“I was _sure_, he knew all about it,” thought Charles; “and felt as if I was suspended between heaven and earth! Oh! what a relief it was. It is the _first_, and I will take care it shall be the _last_ time I ever act so carelessly again, as sure as I live! If professional thieves suffer only half what I have done since evening, and for no crime whatever, I am sure they would never follow their trade very long. Let me see—I placed the package under the sofa mattress; if either had seen it lying on my table, I should have blown my brains out! But where is it? Gone!” said he, in astonishment, as he examined in every place, “gone! Who could have taken it? No one knew it to be there. Gone it is, undoubtedly. I have searched everywhere, but it can’t be found. Good Heavens! What shall I do? Which of them could have taken it? No, no, _neither_ of them could have seen or felt it; it _must_ be here!” Charles searched in every imaginable nook and corner, but could not discover the missing roll of bills. He had placed it under the sofa mattress, he was confident, and unknown to either of his visitors. Whither or how it had disappeared was a marvel. Distracted with countless thoughts and emotions, he put on his cloak, and, late as it then was, left the apartment, walking aimlessly up and down first one street and then another, until he found himself opposite the theatre, with its blazing links, oil-lamps, and variously-coloured lanterns. More from habit than design, Charles passed its portals, and soon found himself among a crowd of gay acquaintances. “Seen Redgill?” asked he of one and another, until, tired with waiting, he was about to depart, when both met at the door! “Did you see a small paper packet lying about my room, near the sofa, to-night?” asked Charles, carelessly. “A small paper packet? No. Why, have you lost one? What was it like?” “Well, it didn’t look like anything particularly, but it was, you know, very much like one of our bank packets. It was a packet of long envelopes and other papers.” “Bank packets, eh? No, my boy, I didn’t see it; I was too much taken up with thinking of money matters. If you remember, you said you hadn’t a penny, and I was racking my brain to devise means for borrowing some, for there is a grand bal masque on here to-night. Is it very valuable? You look vexed—perplexed. What’s the matter, Charley, my boy? If I can help you out of the scrape command me, you know——” “Well, the fact is, Phillip, the package I speak of, which so much resembles a bank package, contained something very valuable, more valuable than my life, in fact. Without I recover it my existence is henceforth a blank and worthless. I am _dishonoured_!” “Don’t say ‘dishonoured,’ my boy; that is impossible; _you_ could never do anything which would reflect dishonour on yourself or your many acquaintance. Cheer up; you may find it to-morrow. If it is a hundred or two you want, you can have it in a day or two from me even.”