The return of Watts interrupted us. He had brought back with him Mr. Brightman's butler, Perry--a respectable, trustworthy man, who had been long in the family. I shall never forget his emotion as he stood over his dead master, to whom he was much attached. Mrs. and Miss Brightman had gone to Hastings for two or three days, he said, and I determined to go there in the morning and break the sad tidings to them. Sad tidings, indeed; a grievous calamity for us all. That night I could not sleep, and in the morning I rose unrefreshed. The doubt about Leah and the money also troubled me. Though in one sense convinced that she could not have done it, the possibility that she might be guilty kept presenting itself before me. She came into the room while I was at breakfast--earlier than I need have been, so far as the train was concerned--and I detained her for a moment. Very spruce and neat she looked this morning. "Leah," I began, "there is an unpleasant mystery attending this affair." "As to what Mr. Brightman has died of, sir?" "I do not allude to that. But there is some money missing." "Money!" echoed Leah, in what looked like genuine surprise. "Last night, after Mr. Brightman came in from dinner, he put a small canvas bag, containing thirty pounds in gold, in the deep drawer of his desk in my room, locked it and put the keys in his pocket. I had occasion to look for that gold immediately after he was found dead, and it was gone." "Bag and all?" said Leah, after a pause. "Bag and all." "Not stolen, surely?" "I don't see how else it can have disappeared. It could not go without hands; and the question is, did anyone get into the house and take it?" She looked at me, and I at her: she was apparently thinking. "But how could anyone get in, sir?" she asked in tones of remonstrance. "I do not see how, unless it was when you went out, Leah. You were out some time, you know. You ran out of the house and down the steps leading to the river, and you were in great agitation. What did it mean?" Leah threw up her hands in distress. "Oh, Mr. Charles!" she gasped. "Please don't question me, sir. I cannot tell you anything about that." "I must know it, Leah." She shook her head. Her tears had begun to fall. "Indeed you must explain it to me," I continued, speaking gently. "There is no help for it. Don't you see that this will have to be investigated, and----" "You never suspect me of taking the money, sir?" she exclaimed breathlessly. "No, I do not," I replied firmly. "It is one thing to be sure of honesty, and quite another thing to wish mysterious circumstances cleared up, where the necessity for doing so exists. What was your mystery last night, Leah?" "Must I tell you, sir?" "Indeed you must. I dare say to tell it will not hurt you, or to hear it hurt me." "I would die rather than Watts should know of it," she exclaimed, in low, impassioned tones, glancing towards the door.