"I hope," said Holland, "that he won't take a fancy to rob the
Hillsborough Bank, for I consider it public spirited to keep quite a
little money there. You begin to make me nervous."

"No bank robbery would make _me_ nervous," replied his sister, "that is
the comfort of being insignificant. I have not enough money in any bank
to know the difference, and as for my humble dwelling in Hillsborough,
who would take the trouble to rifle it when Geoffrey's palace is within
an easy walk. Besides, I haven't anything worth the attention of a
respectable burglar like this one."

"Thank you," said Geoffrey, "I'm sorry I spent so much time choosing
your Christmas present a year ago."

"Oh, of course, Geof dear, that wonderful old silver is valuable, but it
is put away where I defy any burglar to find it. There is only my sable
coat, and I am going to send for that as soon as I have time to have it
cut over."

"In my opinion," said Mr. Vaughan, "the man is no longer in the
neighbourhood. He would scarcely dare try a fifth attempt while the
whole country was so aroused. You see Hillsborough has always been an
attractive place to thieves. It is such an easy place to get away
from,--three railroads within reach. A man would be pretty sure to be
able to catch a passing freight train on one of them at almost any time,
to say nothing of the increased difficulty of tracing him."

"I don't suppose he will ever be caught," said Florence. "When he has
got all he wants he will simply melt away and be forgotten. If he were