t
without avail. Several times he went below to the cellar,
ostensibly to inspect his coal supply, really to observe the
demeanor of Margaret, the cook. Barring an unusual pallor upon her
cheek, she appeared to be as she always had been; but with the
waitress it was different. Mary was evidently excited over
something, but over what Thaddeus could not, of course, determine at
that time. Later in the day, however, the cause of her perturbation
came out, and Thaddeus's effort to keep Bessie from anxiety over the
occurrence of the night before was rendered unavailing. It was at
luncheon. The table was set in a most peculiar fashion. The only
china upon it was from an old set which had been discarded a year
previous to the time of this story, and Bessie naturally wanted to
know why, and the waitress broke down.

"It's--it's all we have, ma'am," said she, her eyes filling with
tears.

"All we have?" echoed Mrs. Perkins in surprise. "Why, what do you
mean? Where is the other set?"

"I don't know," protested the waitress.

"You don't know?" said Thaddeus, taking the matter in hand. "Why
don't you know? Isn't the china a part of your care?"

"Yes, sir," replied the maid, "but--it's gone, sir, and I don't know
where."

"When did you miss it?" asked Thaddeus.

"Not until I came to set the table for lunch."

"Was it in its proper place at breakfast-time?"

"I didn't notice, sir. The breakfast dishes were all there, but I
don't remember seeing the other plates. I didn't think to look."

"Then it wasn't a cat," said Bessie, sinking back into her chair;
"we have been robbed."

"Well, it's the first time on record, I guess, that thieves have
ever robbed a man of his china," said Thaddeus, calmly. "Have you
looked for the plates?" he added, addressing the waitress.

"No, sir," she replied, simply. "Where could I look?"

"That's so--where?" said Bessie. "There isn't much use looking for
dishes when they disappear like that. They aren't like whisk-brooms
or button-hooks to be mislaid easily. We have been robbed; that's
all there is about that."

"Oh, well," said Thaddeus, "let's eat lunch, and see about it
afterwards."

This was quite easy to say, but to eat under the circumstances was
too much for either of the young householders. The luncheon left
the table practically untouched; and when it was over Thaddeus
called his man into the house, wrote a note to the police-station,
asking for an office