at
all. It was, he was quite certain, the grandson, whose career he had
watched for some years with interest and curiosity. Who else was there
who would steal the papers? And who would help him, and give him
access to the safe? He did not only suspect, he was certain that James
was in some way cognizant of the deed. Why else did he turn so pale?
Why did he rush off to Joe's lodgings? Why did he sit trembling?

At half-past twelve Lala Roy rose.

"It is your dinner-hour," he said to James, and it seemed to the
unhappy man as it he was saying, "I know all." "It is your dinner
hour; go, eat, refresh the body. Whom should suspicion affright except
the guilty?"

James put on his hat and sneaked--he felt that he was sneaking--out of
the shop.

During his dinner-hour, Joseph himself called. It was an unusual thing
to see him at any time; in fact, as he was never wont to call upon his
grandfather, unless he was in a scrape and wanted money, no one ever
made the poor young man welcome, or begged him to come more often.

But this morning, he walked upstairs and appeared so cheerful, so
entirely free from any self-reproach for past sins, and so easy in his
mind, without the least touch of the old hang-dog look, that Iris
began to reproach herself for thinking badly of her cousin.

When he was told about the robbery, he expressed the greatest surprise
that any one in the world could be so wicked as to rob an old man like
his grandfather. Besides his abhorrence of crime in the abstract, he
affirmed that the robbery of a safe was a species of villainy for
which hanging was too mild--much too mild a punishment. He then asked
his grandfather what were the contents of the packet stolen, and when
he received no answer except a pleasant and a cheery laugh, he asked
Iris, and learned to his sorrow that the contents were unknown, and
could not, therefore, be identified even if they were found. This, he
said, was a thousand pities, because, if they had been known, a reward
might have been offered. For his own part he would advise the greatest
caution. Nothing at all should be done at first; no step should be
taken which might awaken suspicion; they should go on as if the papers
were without value. As for that, they had no real proof that there was
any robbery. Iris thought of telling him about the water-mark of the
blank pages, but refrained. Perhaps there was no robbery after
all--who was to prove what had been inside the packet? Bu