ve given, who knows? but at that
instant a quick step was heard on the piazza, the door opened suddenly,
and Captain Rayner entered with a rush. The pallor had gone; a light of
eager, half-incredulous joy beamed from his eyes, he threw his cap upon
the floor, and his wife had risen and thrown her arms about his neck.

"Have they found him?" was her breathless question. "_What_ has
happened? You look so different."

"Found him? Yes; and he has told everything?"

"Told--what?"

"Told that he and Gower were the men. They took it all."

"_Clancy!_--and Gower! The thieves, do you mean? Is that--is _that_ what
he confessed?" she asked, in wild wonderment, in almost stupefied amaze,
releasing him from her arms and stepping back, her eyes searching his
face.

"Nothing else in the world, Kate. I don't understand it at all. I'm all
a-tremble yet. It clears Hayne utterly. It at least explains how I was
mistaken. But what--what could she have meant?"

Mrs. Rayner stood like one in a dream, her eyes staring, her lips
quivering; and Nellie, with throbbing pulses and clasping hands, looked
eagerly from husband to wife, as though beseeching some explanation.

"What did she mean? What _did_ she mean? I say again," asked Rayner,
pressing his hand to his forehead and gazing fixedly at his wife.

A moment longer she stood there, as though a light--a long-hidden
truth--were slowly forcing itself upon her mind. Then, with impulsive
movement, she hurried through the dining-room, threw open the kitchen
door, and startled the domestics at their late breakfast.

"Ryan," she called to the soldier-servant who rose hastily from the
table, "go and tell Mrs. Clancy I want her instantly. Do you understand?
Instantly!" And Ryan seized his forage-cap and vanished.

It was perhaps ten minutes before he returned. When he did so it was
apparent that Mrs. Rayner had been crying copiously, and that Miss
Travers, too, was much affected. The captain was pacing the room with
nervous strides in mingled relief and agitation. All looked up expectant
as the soldier re-entered. He had the air of a man who knew he bore
tidings of vivid and mysterious interest, but he curbed the excitement
of his manner until it shone only through his snapping eyes, saluted,
and reported with professional gravity:

"Mrs. Clancy's clean gone, sir."

"Gone where?"

"Nobody knows, sir. She's just lit out with her trunk and best clothes
some time last night."

"Gone to