“Johnny, have you a mind for a walk to——”
He had got thus far when Mrs. Todhetley came in by the inner door, and began looking on the table. Nothing in the world was on it except the inkstand, the Worcester Herald, and the papers before the Squire.
“I must have left one of the blue knots here,” she said.
“You did; I saw it,” said the Squire; and he took up his papers one by one, and shook the newspaper.
Well, the blue shoulder-knot was gone. Just as we had searched for the ring, we searched for that: under the matting, and above the matting, and everywhere; I and those two. A grim look came over the Squire’s face.
“The thief is amongst us still. He has taken that glittering paste thing for a diamond. This clears Sanker.”
Mrs. Todhetley burst into glad sobs. I had never seen her so excited; you might have thought her an hysterical girl. She would do all sorts of things at once; the least of which was, starting in a post-chaise-and-four for Wales.
“Do nothing,” said the Squire, with authority. “I had news of Sanker this morning, and he’s back at school. He wrote me a letter.”
“Oh, why did you not show it me?” asked Mrs. Todhetley, through her tears.