it was
when it was lost; but it were all of no use, and I didn't expect as it
would be, as it were taken up to London so long ago. It would have
turned up months since if it had got into honest hands, and they had
found our address in the bag. But I thought it best to try everything I
could think of. And now me and Jane's satisfied to leave it to the Lord
to find it for us in his own way."

"Yes," replied the vicar, "that is your truly wise and happy course; and
now you can patiently wait.--But stay; it just occurs to me, now I have
been mentioning Dr Prosser, that he must have been travelling by the
very train on to which the bag was dropped. It was the night of 23rd
December last, was it not?"

"Yes, sir, that was the night."

"And it was dropped on to the express train from the north to London?"

"It was, sir; but what then?"

"Why, don't you remember what the doctor said as we were walking with
him to the station the morning when he left us? Don't you remember his
saying that his luggage was put on the top of the carriage he was in,
and that he was angry with the porter for his carelessness in not
covering it properly?"

"Yes, sir; I think I remember it now, but other things have put it out
of my head."

"Well, Thomas, it seems to me not at all impossible that the bag was
dropped on to this carriage; and you know that the train did not stop
till it reached London."

"Well, sir?"

"Might not the bag have been reckoned by the porter at London as part of
the doctor's luggage, if it was just on the top of it, and have been
carried off by him?"

"Possible, sir, but I'm afraid not very likely."

"No, perhaps not, but, as you admit, possible."

"True, sir; but if Dr Prosser took it home, and found it had been a
mistake, wouldn't he have sent it back to the luggage office; and if so,
the guard would have found it there when he inquired by my wish."

"I'm not so sure of that, Thomas: the doctor's head would be full of
thoughts about other things, science, and other matters; and when he got
home he wouldn't trouble himself about his luggage if he'd seen it safe
on the cab; he would leave it to the servants to see that it was all
brought in; and if there was your bag with it as well, he would not have
noticed it. And if he came upon it afterwards in the hall, he would
probably think it was something that belonged to Mrs Prosser, or to one
of the servants. And as for Mrs Prosser herself, she was in those