think it has been that," said Walker. "Had he known all
through that it had come from Mrs. Arabin, he would never have said
that Mr. Soames gave it to him, and then that the dean gave it to
him."

"The truth has been that he has known nothing about it," said
Toogood; "and we shall have to tell him."

At that moment Mary Walker came into the room, and Mrs. Walker could
not constrain herself. "Mary, Mr. Crawley is right. He didn't steal
the cheque. Mrs. Arabin gave it to him."

"Who says so? How do you know? Oh, dear; I am so happy, if it's
true." Then she saw Mr. Toogood and curtseyed.

"It is quite true, my dear," said Mr. Walker. "Mr. Toogood has had a
message by the wires from Mrs. Arabin at Venice. She is coming home at
once, and no doubt everything will be put right. In the meantime, it
may be a question whether we should not hold our tongues. Mr. Crawley
himself, I suppose, knows nothing of it yet?"

"Not a word," said Toogood.

"Papa, I must tell Miss Prettyman," said Mary.

"I should think that probably all Silverbridge knows it by this
time," said Mrs. Walker, "because Jane was in the room when the
announcement was made. You may be sure that every servant in the
house has been told." Mary Walker, not waiting for any further
command from her father, hurried out of the room to convey the secret
to her special circle of friends.

It was known throughout Silverbridge that night, and indeed it made
so much commotion that it kept many people for an hour out of their
beds. Ladies who were not in the habit of going out late at night
without the fly from the "George and Vulture", tied their heads up in
their handkerchiefs, and hurried up and down the street to tell each
other that the great secret had been discovered, and that in truth
Mr. Crawley had not stolen the cheque. The solution of the mystery
was not known to all,--was known on that night only to the very
select portion of the aristocracy of Silverbridge to whom it was
communicated by Mary Walker or Miss Anne Prettyman. For Mary Walker,
when earnestly entreated by Jane, the parlour-maid, to tell her
something more of the great news, had so far respected her father's
caution as to say not a word about Mrs. Arabin. "Is it true, Miss
Mary, that he didn't steal it?" Jane asked imploringly. "It is true.
He did not steal it." "And who did, Miss Mary? Indeed I won't tell
anybody." "Nobody. But don't ask any more questions, for I won't
answer them. Get me my