dress; we will see!"

Strahan hurried on his clothes, muttering to himself and avoiding my eye.
He was embarrassed. He did not like to say to an old friend what was on
his mind; but I saw at once that he suspected I had resolved to deprive
him of the manuscript, and had invented a wild tale in order to conceal my
own dishonesty.

Nevertheless, he proceeded to search the house. I followed him in
silence, oppressed with my own thoughts, and longing for solitude in my
own chamber. We found no one, no trace of any one, nothing to excite
suspicion. There were but two female servants sleeping in the house,--the
old housekeeper, and a country girl who assisted her. It was not possible
to suspect either of these persons; but in the course of our search we
opened the doors of their rooms. We saw that they were both in bed, both
seemingly asleep: it seemed idle to wake and question them. When the
formality of our futile investigation was concluded, Strahan stopped at
the door of my bedroom, and for the first time fixing his eyes on me
steadily, said,--

"Allen Fenwick, I would have given half the fortune I have come into
rather than this had happened. The manuscript, as you know, was
bequeathed to me as a sacred trust by a benefactor whose slightest wish it
is my duty to observe religiously. If it contained aught valuable to a
man of your knowledge and profession, why, you were free to use its
contents. Let me hope, Allen, that the book will reappear to-morrow."

He said no more, drew himself away from the hand I involuntarily extended,
and walked quickly back towards his own room.