owner is one's own master. Is not that more wicked still?"

Mrs. Mitten found she had placed herself in an awkward position, and wished the letter safe in the fire.

"Who ever may have opened it," said Mark, looking sternly at Mrs. Mitten, "if it were not opened by Mr. Kingley, is not more culpable than she who detained it."

"And that person, to my thinking, begging your worship's pardon, is one and the same."

All looked at Mrs. Mitten; for a moment she remained irresolute as to the manner in which she should receive this accusation. She did receive it with a very humble curtsey, though with a countenance expressive of a smothered volcano.

CHAPTER XXXV.

IN two days after this, Mark was in London. Then he communicated to Mr. Horton the result of the investigation, and his own conviction of Mrs. Mitten's guilt.

"It is," said Mr. Horton, one of the most striking cases of circumstantial evidence that has ever come within the course of my experience. To those acquainted with the facts, and the circumstances in connection with those facts, there can be no doubt that the persons implicated are Mr. Gosport and Mrs. Mitten; and yet there is not a single evidence that in a court of law would tell against them-excepting, perhaps, that they were seen together at a late hour on a night before the discovery of the rifled desk. Yet that fact rests solely on the evidence of one against whom appearances are so strong, and is invalidated by herself having been up at the same hour. It

P

was, doubtless, after Miss Maitland had left the Manorhouse that the robbery was committed to the fullest extent— her clandestine departure would make them bold; and whether those notes were already in their possession when the half-packed trunk suggested the idea, or whether they were put in afterwards, does not affect the question—that they were put in is certain."

"But surely," said Mark, "with such strong, such undeniable evidence to those who do know the facts and the attendant circumstances, there is sufficient warrant for the apprehension of Mrs. Mitten."

"And on what ground? None that will stand good in law."

"Yet," said Mark, "the business must be proceeded with ; such an imputation as this cannot be allowed to remain uncleared up; such a stigma must not rest on-on the young lady's friends."

"Indeed," said Mr. Horton, "my sympathy is so entirely with the young lady that I have none to spare for the young lady's friends," and he looked at Mark significantly, who added in some embarrassment

"Yes-yes-of course, that is the first consideration; her position is indeed most singularly trying."

"I fear," continued Mr. Horton, "that unless we can obtain decisive proofs, any steps that might be taken to bring the real criminals to justice would only tend to hurl destruction on the innocent. We must endeavour to trace out Mr. Gosport, and, perhaps, when we have done this, by instituting a secret watch on his proceedings, something will be discovered that may elicit the truth, and tend to his detection. Meantime, I fear this house is scarcely a safe retreat for Miss Maitland-indeed it is not so; for while she remains here the business may get talked about, and it is so much in the power of servants to—”

"I see the danger," interrupted Mark; "and her mother, and-and her sister-is it necessary that they”

"The mother and sister are so far removed from the possibility of hearing of the business, that, in the present uncertainty, to tell them would only be to cause useless affliction. And Miss Maitland could not go to them, for that would be no place of refuge."

They then discussed the necessity of making Helen fully aware of her present position, and of communicating the circumstances connected with Mrs. Kingley's death. It was a painful office. Helen listened, but she listened with a rigidity that alarmed Mr. Horton more than any demonstration would have done.

He had finished: Helen remained immovable. At length, drawing her hand across her brow, and looking round to convince herself that what she had heard was real

"What!" she said, "is Mrs. Kingley dead?—and did she die so ?-did she indecd? It is too horrible! But tell me if it is indeed true! I have been ill; many strange visions of unreal things have passed my mind-this may be one of them. Tell me," and she rose from the chair, and grasped Mr. Horton's hand with a tight grasp, "tell me if it is true!"

"My dear young lady," said Mr. Horton, "this is a vision from which you will not awake. Mrs. Kingley is dead!"

Helen did not speak; she sat down again, and Mr. Horton remained silent also.

"But," she said at length, "there was something else— something very deadful too; what was that? I rememberI remember now what it was; but it is impossible—you cannot think-oh! tell me it is impossible you can—”

"I think," said Mr. Horton, "that there has been a system of villany, and that, with a design to implicate you, those notes were put into your trunk, either on the night when you left it half-packed in your room, or that they were put there afterwards when the final robbery had been committed."

66

'They were they were!" exclaimed Helen, vehemently.

66

"No one doubts this," continued Mr. Horton, kindly;

no one knowing the circumstances could doubt it."

A flash of sudden remembrance passed over Helen's mind.

"I have been so ill-there has been such a strange confusion in my thoughts, that till this moment I never remembered" and, without finishing the sentence, she rushed hastily past Mr. Horton, and left the room. She returned with a small parcel in a handkerchief. "I had forgotten this," she said, "till this moment; but this," she continued, unfolding the handkerchief, "this pocket-book I picked up on the road outside the gate leading to the Manor-house. At the time I was almost unconscious of what I did; but the bright clasp attracted my attention, and, though the pocket-book was dripping, I took it up, and folded it as you see. I think I hope this may have been dropped by Mr. Gosport, who must have passed through that gate only a short time before, and if so-"

66

"If so," interrupted Mr. Horton, taking the pocket-book, it may contain the very evidence we want."

The outside had the appearance of having been on wet ground, and the clasp had become tarnished. There was writing on the leaves, but it had been rendered almost illegible by the soaking rain, and in the pockets were several loose papers; but there was no name by which the owner could be identified.

"What have we here?" said Mr. Horton, continuing his examination of the contents of the pockets; "what are these?" and he took out several Bank of England notes; he looked at them attentively. "This is indeed an important discovery!" said he; "these numbers are in direct sequence with those put into the trunk." He had just been making a memorandum of the numbers of these notes as given by Mark. "But there is something else." It was a

paper containing memoranda for a will; it was unconnected, and the sentences were fragments; but the purport of the whole was to appoint Richard Gosport, Esq., sole executor to Mr. Kingley, leaving to him, in that capacity, power to hold everything in trust for the use and benefit of his dear wife. In the legacy bequeathed to himself the figures were omitted. "The rascal!" exclaimed Mr. Horton; "this does, indeed, throw light on the business—a light that makes all clear."

Helen, aware how greatly the contents of that pocketbook affected her own position, clasped her hands, and said, almost inaudibly-"Thank Heaven!"

No time was lost in communicating to Mark the important discovery that had been made. All felt that a dark cloud had been suddenly dispersed; all felt that no imputation could injure Helen now; and all were impatient that the culprits should be brought to justice. But against Mrs. Mitten there was yet no legal evidence.

Mark returned to the Manor-house; Jemima and the Captain saw him in the avenue; there was an elasticity in his step that foreboded good tidings, and the Captain advanced to the hall-door to welcome him. A few minutes were sufficient to put them in possession of the circum

stances.

"I have been," said Mark, "to the banking-house where Mrs. Kingley's dividends are paid; and, from the numbers of the notes found in the pocket-book, and those found in the trunk, I have ascertained that these notes were given to Mrs. Kingley the last time she went to receive her dividends. This fact proves, beyond the possibility of doubt, from whence they were taken, and affords confirmatory proof of Mr. Gosport's villany; and Mr. Kingley must at once be urged to adopt the necessary measures."

"My uncle," said the Captain, "seems strangely insensible to what has happened, and is little disposed to enter on the subject."