'My dear boy, for heaven's sake don't be so melodramatic,' said the General tartly. 'You will be accusing me of stealing your papers next. The fire broke out in the simplest way. Your mother put down her candle on the window-sill in the hall, and those muslin curtains of yours, against which I have preached till I am tired, caught fire. Now don't, like a good fellow, stare at me so! I am repeating your mother's own words.'
'Where is my mother?' asked Tom.
'She is with Lady Elton, and there she shall remain for the present. I refuse to permit you to ask her a single question to-night.'
They were, by this time, in the midst of the little crowd that surrounded the house. Water was still playing over it; but the flames were dead. 'Pretty safe now?' said the General, addressing one of the policemen.
'Yes, sir; and we saved a goodish lot of things.'
'So I see. Any strangers about?'
'No, General; not a single soul. I was up here from the first. Do Mr. Gregory think——?'
'Mr. Gregory has missed some valuable papers.'
'If they were on this side, General, 'taint wonderful like.'
'They were on the other——'