AS the cab drove off, bearing Adrian towards his home, the brother and sister walked on in silence for a minute or two, quite forgetting the object of their walk in the thoughts that occupied their minds.
At last Molly said, "We never used to have secrets from each other. Won't you tell me what Cousin Ted meant by calling you a thief, and saying you stole his mother's letter?"
After a minute's pause, Arthur said: "Look here, Molly, I don't know much more about the affair than you do, except this: that a letter was sent to our Mr. Langley a week or two ago, and it never reached him. Lady Mary came and saw the governor, and made a fine row about it. She told him, I believe, that her son posted the letter, but after what Ted has said to-night, I shall begin to think that neither the post office nor we lost it."
"He was tipsy, you know, Arthur," said Molly, who would far rather think the post office guilty of stealing the letter than that anyone belonging to her should be deemed guilty of the mean action.
"Yes, if he had not been tipsy, he would not have said what he did; but 'when the drink is in, the wit is out.' I wonder whether he will remember what he said when he wakes up in the morning!" said Arthur in a musing tone. "I think I ought to tell Mr. Bristow what he said, it may prove to be a clue for discovering who had the cheque."
"Who do they think stole it?" asked Molly.
"Well, you see, I have to sort the morning mailbag and distribute the letters, and so naturally the suspicion rests upon me."
"Arthur!" exclaimed the girl, stopping in the middle of the street and seizing him by the shoulders.
"Don't, Molly! Don't do that! And don't say a word to them at home."
"But—but, Arthur, nobody can really think you would do such a thing!" said poor Molly, with gasp.