"And a good thing too," said Raston. "But that I am a clergyman I should have been a soldier. Good-day! Come to church to-morrow."
And to church Leo went to see Sybil in her pew. He also went to the evening service. On Monday he departed for London. But no one heeded his going. The village was excited by a rumour that the cup had been stolen. On hearing the report Mr Tempest went to the church. It was true. The cup was gone.
CHAPTER VII
A NINE DAYS' WONDER
Ill news spreads like circles on water when a stone is thrown in. Barker, the old sexton, a white-haired, crabbed sinner, was the first to discover the loss. He had gone to the chapel at seven in the morning to make ready the church for early celebration, and on going to the altar he had noticed that the cup was missing. Nothing else had been touched. At once the old man had trotted off to see the vicar, and in a quavering voice related what had taken place, finishing with a hope that he would not be blamed for the loss.
"You locked the chapel up last night?" asked Mr Tempest, sorely distressed, for indeed this was sacrilege and not a common robbery.
"'Deed and I did!" replied Barker, sturdily. "And I took the key home with me. My wife saw me place it on its nail just inside the door."
"Was the church door locked?"