oes which had been taken off on the previous night,
digging another pair of shoes from the shoe-cupboard, and otherwise
busying himself as usual. Even when Mr. Rash had re-entered the
bedroom the valet made no immediate reference to what had happened in
the house. He approached the subject indirectly by saying, as he laid
out an old velvet house-jacket on the bed:

"I suppose if Mr. Rash ain't goin' out for 'is breakfast 'e'll put
this on for 'ome."

Mr. Rash, who was buttoning his collar before the mirror said over his
shoulder: "But I am going out for my breakfast. Why shouldn't I? I
always do."

Steptoe carried the house-jacket back to the closet.

"I thought as Mr. Rash only did that so as madam could 'ave the dinin'
room to 'erself, private like."

As a way of expressing the fact that Allerton had never eaten a meal
with Letty the choice of words was neat.

"Well? What then?"

"Oh, nothink, sir. I was only thinkin' that, as madam was no longer
'ere----"

Allerton wheeled round, his fingers clawing at the collar-stud, his
face growing bloodless. "No longer here? What the deuce do you mean?"

"Oh, didn't Mr. Rash know? Madam seems to 'ave left us. I supposed
that after I'd gone upstairs last night Mr. Rash and 'er must 'ave 'ad
some sort of hunderstandin'--and she went."

"Went?" Allerton's tone was almost a scream. Leaping on the old man he
took him by the shoulders, snaking him. "Damn you! Get it out! What
are you trying to tell me?"

Steptoe quaked and cowered. "Why, nothink, sir. Only when William said
as madam didn't come down to 'er breakfast I went to 'er door and
tapped--and there wasn't no one in the room. Mr. Rash 'ad better go
and see for 'imself."

The young man not only released the older one, but pushed him aside
with a force which sent him staggering backwards. Over the stairs he
scrambled, he plunged. Though he had never entered the back spare room
since allotting it to Letty as her own he threw the door open now as
if the place was on fire.

But by the time Steptoe had followed and reached the threshold
Allerton had calmed suddenly. He stood in front of the open closet
vaguely examining its contents. He picked up the little gold band,
chucked it a few inches into the air, caught it, and put it down. He
looked into the little leather purse, poured out its notes and pennies
into his hand, replaced them, and put that also down again. He opened
the old red volume lying on the table by t