ant. To the best of my belief I had shewn him everything that
I thought to be of the least importance--notes and reports, as he had
said, such as was that which I had made in the wherry on my way up from
Wapping one night.

I shook my head.

"I do not know what you mean," I said. "Where did they get the papers
from?"

"Think again, Mr. Mallock. I said it was on a charge of treason just
now. Well: I will say now that it may be no more than misprision of
treason."

Still I had no suspicion. I was thinking still, I suppose, of my
lodgings here in Whitehall and of a few papers I had there.

"You must tell me," I said.

"Mr. Mallock," he said, "this paper I speak of was in cypher. It
contained--"

"Lord!" I cried. "Cousin Tom!--"

Then I bit my lip; but it was too late.

"Yes," said the other, very gravely. "I can see that you remember. It
was your cousin who brought them up from Hare Street. He found them all
in a little hiding-hole: and conceived it to be his duty--"

"His duty!" I cried. "Good God! why--"

Then again I checked myself.

"Mr. Chiffinch," said I, "I remember the paper perfectly: at least I
remember that I had it, though I have never read it or thought anything
of it."

"It is in very easy cypher, sir," said he, with some severity.

"Well; it was too hard for me," I said.

"Then why did you not shew it to me?" he asked.

"Lord! man," I said, "I tell you it was gone clean from my memory. I got
it from Rumbald a great while ago--a year or two at the least before the
Plot. It was on my mind to send it to you; but I did not. I had no idea
that it was of the least importance."

"A letter, in cypher, and from Rumbald! And you thought it of no
importance--even though the names of my Lord Shaftesbury and half a
dozen others are written in full!"

"I tell you I forgot it," I said sullenly, for I had not looked for
suspicion from this man.

He still looked at me, as if searching my face: and I suppose that I
presented the very picture of an unmasked villain; for the whole affair
was so surprising and unexpected that I was completely taken aback.

"Well," he said, "if you had but shewn me that paper, we could have
forestalled the whole affair."

"What was in it?" I asked, striving to control myself.

"You tell me you do not know?" he asked.

Then indeed I lost control of myself. I stood up.

"Mr. Chiffinch," I said, "I see that you do not believe a word that I
say. It will be best if you