“Then can you open the door wide enough to help me in?” returned Sydney. The answer was the swinging back of the door and the reaching out of the old lady’s arm. “Go back to the carriage, boys, and wait,” said Sydney, and the next instant he had disappeared within the mysterious dwelling. CHAPTER XXX SYDNEY FREES HIS MIND “You’re pretty weak, aren’t you?” This was Mrs. Fox’s remark as she eased Sydney down into a rocking chair in the little parlor. It was quite dark, save for the faint light that came in from the street lamp over the curtain pole in the window. “I suppose I was too weak to venture to come,” Sydney answered, “but I felt that I must. Did you understand all that I meant to say in my note?” “I understand that you know of a great sum of money that is coming to Maurice Darley. It’s strange, very strange.” “Why is it? Did you know anything about it? Did you expect it?” There was a note of alarm in Sydney’s tones. “No, not that in particular. But you must tell me all the details before I dare to tell any more.” The old lady seated herself on a low chair close to Sydney’s side. It was extremely weird, this confidential talk in the darkness. “What details do you want?” Sydney asked. “Why, proofs that there is really something to this fortune. Maurice has talked too much about others that have nothing to them.” “You see him often, then,” exclaimed Sydney eagerly. “He’s here, perhaps.” “S’h!” commanded the old Lady in a stern whisper. “Yes, he is here. He is in the back room yonder. I am so afraid he will hear us. That is why I had you come at midnight, when he would be sound asleep.” “But why can I not see him?” “Because he is weak—weak in his mind. He is all the while fancying that he is rich. A talk about money would excite him so that I fear the consequences.” “And you say he knew Mr. Tyler?” Sydney remembered and spoke this name very softly. “Yes, he talks of him continually now.” “Was he in his office once?” “Yes, I believe so.” “One more question. Has this Mr. Darley any children?” “He had one once—a boy. But it must have died when a baby, soon after Mrs. Darley did. And now do you know why I do not want you to come here with stories of riches for Maurice Darley? He’s daft on the subject already. I do not want him to go so far that they will take him away from me.” “You are fond of him, then?” asked Sydney. “He is all I have. If he goes I must live alone. It is my delight to care for him. The little money David left me is enough for my simple wants, Maurice lives like a lord in his fancies. Why do you want to come and disturb us in our content?”