Neale shook his head at her.

"Because you told Joseph that I didn't believe them when they said that
some of their securities were missing," he answered. "You did it! As
soon as you'd gone, they had me in, told me that it was contrary to
their principles to retain servants who took sides with other people
against them, handed me a cheque, and told me to cash it forthwith and
depart. And--here I am!"

"You don't seem to mind this very much, Mr. Neale," observed the Earl,
looking keenly at this victim of summary treatment. "Do you?"

"If your lordship really wants to know," answered Neale, "I don't! I'm
truly thankful. It's only what would have happened--in another way. I
meant to leave Chestermarke's. If it hadn't been for Mr. Horbury, I
should have left ages ago. I hate banking! I hated the life. And--I
dislike Chestermarke's! Immensely! Now, I'll go and have a free life
somewhere in Canada or some equally spacious clime--where I can
breathe."

"Not at all!" said Betty decidedly. "You shall come and be my manager in
London. The brewery wants one, badly. You shall have a handsome salary,
Wallie--much more than you had at that beastly bank!"

"Very kind of you, I'm sure," laughed Neale. "But I think I'm inclined
to put breweries in the same line with banks. Don't you be too rash,
Betty--I'm not exactly cut out for commercialism. Not," he added
reflectively, "not that I haven't been a very good servant to
Chestermarke's. I have! But Chestermarkes are--what they are!"

The Earl, who had been watching the two young people with something of
amused interest, suddenly came forward from the window.

"Mr. Neale!" he said.

"My lord!" responded Neale.

"What's your honest opinion about your late principals?" asked the Earl.

Neale shook his head slowly and significantly.

"I don't know," he answered.

"Do you know that they've--just now--refused Miss Fosdyke permission to
examine her uncle's belongings?" continued the Earl. "That they wouldn't
even let her enter the house?"

"No, I didn't know," replied Neale. "But I'm not surprised. Nothing that
those two could do would ever surprise me."

"Feeling that, what do you advise in this case?" asked the Earl.
"Come!--you're no longer in their employ--you can speak freely now. What
do you think?"

"Well," said Neale, after a pause, and speaking with unusual gravity, "I
think the police ought to make a thorough examination of the
bank-house--I'm surprised it hasn't b