made two unpleasant discoveries when I had him in my employment. I found
that he had contrived to supply himself with a duplicate of my seal; and
I had the strongest reason to suspect him of tampering with some papers
belonging to two of my clients. He had done no actual mischief, so far;
and I had no time to waste in making out the necessary case against him.
He was dismissed from my service, as a man who was not to be trusted to
respect any letters or papers that happened to pass through his hands."

"I see, uncle! I see!"

"Plain enough now--isn't it? If that missing letter of Miss Silvester's
is a letter of no importance, I am inclined to believe that it is merely
lost, and may be found again. If, on the other hand, there is any thing
in it that could promise the most remote advantage to any person in
possession of it, then, in the execrable slang of the day, I will lay
any odds, Blanche, that Bishopriggs has got the letter!"

"And he has left the inn! How unfortunate!"

"Unfortunate as causing delay--nothing worse than that. Unless I am very
much mistaken, Bishopriggs will come back to the inn. The old rascal
(there is no denying it) is a most amusing person. He left a terrible
blank when he left my clerks' room. Old customers at Craig Fernie
(especially the English), in missing Bishopriggs, will, you may rely on
it, miss one of the attractions of the inn. Mrs. Inchbare is not a woman
to let her dignity stand in the way of her business. She and Bishopriggs
will come together again, sooner or later, and make it up. When I have
put certain questions to her, which may possibly lead to very important
results, I shall leave a letter for Bishopriggs in Mrs. Inchbare's
hands. The letter will tell him I have something for him to do, and will