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"Owe!" He caught up a pen. "Name the sum, and I will pay it."

"No, the debt is not to me. You owe a very humble apology to that

noble lad, your son, who has carried himself in this matter as I

should be proud to see my own son do, should I ever chance to

have one."

"Then it was not Arthur who took them?"

"I told you yesterday, and I repeat to-day, that it was not."

"You are sure of it! Then let us hurry to him at once to let him

know that the truth is known."

"He knows it already. When I had cleared it all up I had an

interview with him, and finding that he would not tell me the

story, I told it to him, on which he had to confess that I was

right and to add the very few details which were not yet quite

clear to me. Your news of this morning, however, may open his

lips."

"For Heaven's sake, tell me, then, what is this extraordinary

mystery!"