Maurice found him standing weakly against the railing of the stairs.  Something in his air impressed his brother strangely.

“What is it, Francis?” he questioned, hurrying to him.

“I have just discovered a considerable loss,” was the reply in a grieved voice.

“If it is no worse than loss, I am glad; but what is it?”

“Every cent of money that I had to secure my letter of credit is gone from my bureau.”

“What?  When did it disappear?”

“I went to my bureau to-night for something and found the money gone; then I remembered that when I opened it two days ago I must have left the key in the lock, as I found it to-night.”

“It ’s a bad business, but don’t let ’s talk of it now.  Come, let ’s go back to our guests.  Don’t look so cut up about it, Frank, old man.  It is n’t as bad as it might be, and you must n’t show a gloomy face to-night.”

The younger man pulled himself together, and re-entered the room with his brother.  In a few minutes his gaiety had apparently returned.

When they rejoined the ladies, even their quick eyes could detect in his demeanour no trace of the annoying thing that had occurred.  His face did not change until, with a wealth of fervent congratulations, he had bade the last guest good-bye.

Then he turned to his brother.  “When Leslie is in bed, come into the library.  I will wait for you there,” he said, and walked sadly away.

“Poor, foolish Frank,” mused his brother, “as if the loss could matter to him.”

III

THE THEFT

Frank was very pale when his brother finally came to him at the appointed place.  He sat limply in his chair, his eyes fixed upon the floor.

“Come, brace up now, Frank, and tell me about it.”

At the sound of his brother’s voice he started and looked up as though he had been dreaming.

“I don’t know what you ’ll think of me, Maurice,” he said; “I have never before been guilty of such criminal carelessness.”

“Don’t stop to accuse yourself.  Our only hope in this matter lies in prompt action.  Where was the money?”

“In the oak cabinet and lying in the bureau drawer.  Such a thing as a theft seemed so foreign to this place that I was never very particular about the box.  But I did not know until I went to it to-night that the last time I had opened it I had forgotten to take the key out.  It all flashed over me in a second when I saw it shining there.  Even then I did n’t suspect anything.  You don’t know how I felt to open that cabinet and find all my money gone.  It ’s awful.”

“Don’t worry.  How much was there in all?”

“Nine hundred and eighty-six dollars, most of which, I am ashamed to say, I had accepted from you.”

“You have no right to talk that way, Frank; you know I do not begrudge a cent you want.  I have never felt that my father did quite right in leaving me the bulk of the fortune; but we won’t discuss that now.  What I want you to understand, though, is that the money is yours as well as mine, and you are always welcome to it.”