The Earl, who had been watching the two young people with something of amused interest, suddenly came forward from the window.
"Mr. Neale!" he said.
"My lord!" responded Neale.
"What's your honest opinion about your late principals?" asked the Earl.
Neale shook his head slowly and significantly.
"I don't know," he answered.
"Do you know that they've—just now—refused Miss Fosdyke permission to examine her uncle's belongings?" continued the Earl. "That they wouldn't even let her enter the house?"
"No, I didn't know," replied Neale. "But I'm not surprised. Nothing that those two could do would ever surprise me."
"Feeling that, what do you advise in this case?" asked the Earl. "Come!—you're no longer in their employ—you can speak freely now. What do you think?"
"Well," said Neale, after a pause, and speaking with unusual gravity, "I think the police ought to make a thorough examination of the bank-house—I'm surprised it hasn't been thought of before."