ought home to-day and buried to-morrow."

Dudley thought he detected in her expressionless face a shade of
sorrow. Old Ralph, high liver and genial soul, had been so indulgent a
master, that his nephew suffered by the comparison.

"I found the letter he left with you," he continued softly, "and must
take charge of the money immediately. Can you tell me where it is?"

One side of Viney's face was perfectly inert, as the result of her
disorder, and any movement of the other produced a slight distortion
that spoiled the face as the index of the mind. But her eyes were not
dimmed, and into their sombre depths there leaped a sudden fire--only
a momentary flash, for almost instantly she closed her lids, and when
she opened them a moment later, they exhibited no trace of emotion.

"You will tell me where it is?" he repeated. A request came awkwardly
to his lips; he was accustomed to command.

Viney pointed to her mouth with her right hand, which was not
affected.

"To be sure," he said hastily, "you cannot speak--not yet."

He reflected for a moment. The times were unsettled. Should a wave of
conflict sweep over Clarendon, the money might be found by the enemy.
Should Viney take a turn for the worse and die, it would be impossible
to learn anything from her at all. There was another thought, which
had rapidly taken shape in his mind. No one but Viney knew that his
uncle had been at Mink Run. The estate had been seriously embarrassed
by Roger's extravagant patriotism, following upon the heels of other
and earlier extravagances. The fifty thousand dollars would in part
make good the loss; as his uncle's heir, he had at least a moral claim
upon it, and possession was nine points of the law.

"Is it in the house?" he asked.

She made a negative sign.

"In the barn?"

The same answer.

"In the yard? the garden? the spring house? the quarters?"

No question he could put brought a different answer. Dudley was
puzzled. The woman was in her right mind; she was no liar--of this
servile vice at least she was free. Surely there was some mystery.

"You saw my uncle?" he asked thoughtfully.

She nodded affirmatively.

"And he had the money, in gold?"

Yes.

"He left it here?"

Yes, positively.

"Do you know where he hid it?"

She indicated that she did, and pointed again to her silent tongue.

"You mean that you must regain your speech before you can explain?"

She nodded yes, and then, as if in pain, turned he