debt by means of a worthless
cheque was evidently less reprehensible than to pilfer a brooch from a
dressing-table. Guest knew himself condemned before he heard the
simultaneous replies.

"Captain Guest, how _can_ you! She would never do that!"

"Indeed, you are mistaken. I'm bad enough, but I have not fallen quite
so low. I have not touched a thing."

"You must excuse my denseness. I fail to see how one theft is so much
worse than the other. I am sorry to seem intrusive, Miss Briskett, but
I have taken a certain responsibility upon myself, and I must be
satisfied on this point before we go any further. Will you take Mrs
Schuter with you to your room while you carefully check your
possessions, and get back your bank-notes. I will wait here till you
return."

For a moment Cornelia appeared on the point of refusing, but she changed
her mind, and without a word led the way down the corridor towards her
own bedroom. Her dressing-case stood on a table by the window; she
stood over it uncertainly, as if still debating with herself whether she
should or should not obey Guest's command, and as she did so Mrs
Moffatt's voice broke the silence--

"Cornelia!--there's not a mite of reason why you should take my word,
but I tell you straight I haven't laid a finger on one of your things.
You ken look as well as not, but it's wasting time. The thirty pounds
is in my purse, ready for you to take. When it comes to the last Silas
takes fright. There's no need to tell any more lies. We have lived by
this sort of thing for years past, but as soon as he scents danger in
the air, he makes off to a place of safety, and leaves me to finish up.
You won't find him, however hard you search, but I'm right here. ...
What are you going to do with me, Cornelia?"

Cornelia drew a sharp, sobbing breath.

"Oh, why did you do it?" she cried wildly. "Why did you do it? You
laid a plot for me from the start. I was rich, and--and _green_, so you
fussed over me, and acted like a friend, and invited me up here, for
nothing but to bleed me--to get as much out of me as you could, and then
leave me to face it out alone in a strange place. I was your own
countrywoman, and I trusted you. Hadn't you got a spark of loyalty
left, that you could act so--_mean_?"

Mrs Moffatt put her hand to her throat. Her voice seemed paralysed;
husky, disjointed, and feeble.

"No! It's all gone; loyalty, faith, everything that matters. There's
nothi