same sensation when the air has been
overcharged with electricity before a storm; I seemed to hear strange
noises, my heart beat, my face was flushed and hot, every nerve seemed
to thrill with pain. I opened the window, thinking that the cool night
air would drive the fever from my brain.

"As I sat there in the profound silence, I heard, as plainly as I hear
myself speaking now, footsteps--quiet, stealthy footsteps--go past my
door.

"Let me explain to you that the library, where my uncle kept his
cash-box and his papers, is on the ground floor; on the floor above that
there are several guest-chambers. Captain Langton slept in one of these.
My uncle slept on the third floor, and, in order to reach his room, was
obliged to go through the corridor where the rooms of Miss Hastings and
myself were.

"I heard those quiet, stealthy footsteps, Vane, and my heart for a few
moments beat painfully.

"But the Darrells were never cowards. I went to my door and opened it
gently. I could see to the very end of the corridor, for at the end
there was a large arched window, and a faint gray light coming from it
showed me a stealthy figure creeping silently from Sir Oswald's room;
the gray light showed me also a glimmer of steel, and I knew, almost by
instinct, that that silent figure carried Sir Oswald's keys in its
hands.

"In a moment I had taken my resolve. I pushed my door to, but did not
close it; I took off my slippers, lest they should make a sound, and
followed the figure down stairs. As I have said before, the Darrells
were never cowards; no dread came to me; I was intent upon one
thing--the detection of the wrongdoer.

"Not more than a minute passed while I was taking off my shoes, but when
I came to the foot of the grand staircase light and figure had both
disappeared. I cannot tell what impulse led me to the library--perhaps
the remembrance of Sir Oswald's money being there came to me. I crossed
the hall and opened the library door.

"Though I had never liked Captain Langton, the scene that was revealed
to me came upon me as a shock--one that I shall never forget. There was
Captain Langton with my uncle's cash-box before him, and the roll of
bank-notes in his hand. He looked up when I entered, and a terrible
curse fell from his lips--a frightful curse. His face was fearful to
see. The room lay in the shadow of dense darkness, save where the light
he carried shone like a faint star. The face it showed me was one I