Frank shrugged his shoulders and drove off to Waterloo Station, where in half an hour he took a fast train to Wraybridge. He had not much faith in Torry's theory, as, with his trained sense of logical argument, he could not see how Grent, in the face of Vass's assertion, could have become possessed of the money. He tried to think about the matter, but love, as usual, interfered with business, and when he recollected that he would soon see Donna Maria he surrendered himself to delicious fancies about the coming interview. She--Frank had got the length of calling Donna Maria "she"--she would be cold, she would be amicable, she would smile, she would frown, she would do a hundred and one contradictory things not likely to occur. Truly Frank Darrel was a very foolish young gentleman to indulge in so confused a reverie. But he was only twenty-five and he was in love--two excuses that cover the follies of the majority of mortals. Shewn into the presence of his goddess, the worshipper grew red and confused, rather to the surprise of Donna Maria as she had no notion of the inflamed state of his heart. To put him at his ease, she sought to induce speech by asking him what he wished to see her about. Then Frank became more confused than ever, for he did not very well know how to begin. However, as a beginning had to be made, he spoke to the point and in a brusque way, by reason of his modesty. "I have come to tell you how the case is getting on," he said hurriedly. "That is very kind of you," replied Donna Maria, half smiling at his humour, although she secretly wondered what could be the cause of it. "Has anything been discovered about my poor uncle's murder?" "Not so much that, as about the bank-notes." "The bank-notes?" Donna Maria turned pale and spoke nervously. "Yes, the ten thousand pounds which was stolen from the safe. The money has been returned to Captain Manuel." Donna Maria rose suddenly. "It can't be!" she cried, making a step towards the astonished Frank. "I tell you it can't be!" "But it is, Miss Sandoval. Captain Manuel has the money now in his possession." "Then the assassin of my uncle has been arrested?" "No, I'm sorry to say he has----" "Not arrested?" cried Donna Maria, her colour rising and her eyes sparkling, "and the money returned?" "The money was returned by an unknown man," said Frank, "and he went away after delivering the parcel of notes at Captain Manuel's hotel." "Then that was the assassin. He took the money from my uncle's dead body. In fact, I believe he killed Mr. Grent in order to rob him." "But how can that be?" cried Darrel, much perplexed. "Mr. Grent left the money in his private safe, and did not come back to get it. How could he have been in possession of the money on that night?" Maria passed her hand across her forehead and sighed. "True! True! What am I to do? Oh,"--she wrung her hands--"If I could only speak!"