off, and in a few seconds Mr. Strangway entered smiling. He, no doubt, thought my anxiety to see him was connected with my marriage.
"When he heard my story he was grave enough. 'Two hundred and ninety-three gone?' said he, frowning.
"'Gone,' said I.
"'And the numbers of the notes gone with the money?' said he, looking me full in the face, with a heavier frown.
"'Not a trace left of the paper on which I took the numbers.'
"'Are you sure no one but Grainly could have entered the counting-house?'
"'Perfectly sure. All the doors communicating with other parts of the house were shut—had been locked for the night. I had not been outside the counting-house since luncheon.'
"For a few moments he reflected. The awkward part of it, Mayfield,' said he, 'is that you are to be married to-morrow. Of course, your marriage must go on. But I'll tell you what I think would be best for you. Suppose you attend the office as usual to-morrow morning: you could leave for a couple of hours later, get the ceremony over, and come back.'
"'Oh!' I said, 'with this hanging over me? I half expected to be locked up to-night. But I could not get married until the money is found, Mr. Strangway.'
"'Found! Found! The money can never be found. Why, we have nothing to go on! Anyway, I shall not take steps to-night. Perhaps it would be best to postpone your marriage. Yes, it would not do to marry under the circumstances. I am very sorry for you. But all that can be done in the interests of justice must be done. Keep the keys, and be in Bread-street at the ordinary time in the morning."
My father-in-law paused here. His cigar was smoked out, but he had not finished his story. He did not offer to move, and I sat still. After a few moments he went on:—
"I will be merciful to you, and tell you nothing of the scene at my wife's place when I called later. Her father and mother were then living. I told my story to all three as I have told it to you, and all agreed the best thing was to postpone the marriage for a month.
"Well, I'm not getting on as fast as I promised, but I shall not keep you much longer.
"When I reached the office in the morning I had another good look round, but nothing whatever was to be discovered. I turned the whole place inside out. Nothing, absolutely nothing connected with the case turned up until, to my astonishment, Stephen Grainly walked into the office. Until his appearance I had, in a dim way, made up my mind that all would be cleared up, and my innocence established by his absconding. His arrival showed that he meant to brazen the thing out with me, and I felt from that moment helpless and paralysed.
"'Grainly,' said I, as soon as I could talk, 'when you came back for your stick last night, did you notice the money you gave me on the desk where I put it?'
"'No, my dear Mayfield. I did not cross the threshold of this room.'
"'You did not see or touch the money or the piece of paper on which I had taken down the numbers of the notes?'
"'No, certainly not. I could not see your desk from the door, and I was not further than the door. You do not seem well. I sincerely hope there is nothing the matter?'
"'The cash you brought in last night—the two hundred and ninety-three pounds—has been stolen, that's all,' said I.
"'Stolen!' he cried, falling back. 'You don't mean to say that!'
"'Ay, and stolen within an hour—within half an hour—of our being here together last night.'
"'I cannot—I will not—believe such a horrible thing. Stolen! And in the very office, too!
"I never saw better acting in all my life than his indignation and horror and astonishment. I could hardly believe my eyes and ears. I had spent a sleepless night, and was half dazed and wholly stupid and in despair. For a while I felt that, after all, he might be innocent, and that I, in a moment of excitement and haste, had placed the money and the memorandum in some place of security which I could not now recall.
"Mr. Strangway, on reaching the office half an hour earlier than his usual time, gave orders for another search. It was quite unavailing. No tale or tidings of the cash came that day.
"No secret was made of the affair in the office, and as the hours went on I became confident that in Mr. Strangway's eyes I was the criminal. I don't know how it
