s our conviction that the money must
have been taken by one of the inmates of the house, because it tends to
show that the robbery, in this case, might have been committed by
persons not possessed of the superior vigilance and running of the
experienced thief.

Such are the circumstances, as they were related to Sergeant Bulmer when
he was first called in to discover the guilty parties, and, if possible,
to recover the lost bank-notes. The strictest inquiry which he could
institute failed of producing the smallest fragment of evidence against
any of the persons on whom suspicion naturally fell. Their language and
behaviour on being informed of the robbery was perfectly consistent with
the language and behaviour of innocent people. Sergeant Bulmer felt from
the first that this was a case for private inquiry and secret
observation. He began by recommending Mr. and Mrs. Yatman to affect a
feeling of perfect confidence in the innocence of the persons living
under their roof, and he then opened the campaign by employing himself
in following the goings and comings, and in discovering the friends, the
habits, and the secrets of the maid-of-all-work.

Three days and nights of exertion on his own part, and on that of others
who were competent to assist his investigations, were enough to satisfy
him that there was no sound cause for suspicion against the girl.

He next practised the same precaution in relation to the shopman. There
was more difficulty and uncertainty in privately clearing up this
person's character without his knowledge, but the obstacles were at last
smoothed away with tolerable success; and, though there is not the same
amount of certainty in this case which there was in the case of the
girl, there is still fair reason for supposing that the shopman has had
nothing to do with the robbery of the cash-box.

As a necessary consequence of these proceedings, the range of suspicion
now becomes limited to the lodger, Mr. Jay.

When I presented your letter of introduction to Sergeant Bulmer, he had
already made some inquiries on the subject of this young man. The
result, so far, has not been at all favourable. Mr. Jay's habits are
irregular; he frequents public houses, and seems to be familiarly
acquainted with a great many dissolute characters; he is in debt to most
of the tradespeople whom he employs; he has not paid his rent to Mr.
Yatman for the last month; yesterday evening he came home excited by
liquor, and