hat chest of yours, up in your room?" asked
the officer.

"My clothes, sir," replied Leo, astonished at the strange question.

"What else?"

"Nothing else."

"Don't you keep any white mice in it?" said the constable, smiling.

"No, sir."

"Don't your mice get out of their houses down stairs, and come up?"

"I have seen two or three of them in the kitchen."

"But don't they go up in your chamber?"

"I never saw any up there," answered Leo, puzzled by these singular
inquiries.

"What would you say if I told you that a couple of them had made a nest
in your chest up stairs, and had a litter of little ones there?"

"I don't know what I should say. I don't know that it would be very
strange."

"Should you deny it?"

"If you saw them there I should not, though I don't see how they could
get into the chest. The lid is always closed."

"But you might have left the lid up some morning, and the mice might
have crawled down to the very bottom of the chest, and had a family
there. Could this have happened?"

"It could; but I don't think it is very likely it did happen."

"Why not?"

"I should have smelt them," laughed Leo.

"Shouldn't you have seen them?"

"I don't think I should. Maggie puts my shirts and stockings at the top
of the chest, and I hardly know what there is at the bottom. She takes
care of my things."

"Is there anything in that chest besides your clothes?"

"Yes; I believe there is a piece of brass chain, a ball, some marbles,
and a top in the till."

"Anything else?"

"There may be some other things of that sort in the till. I don't
remember; if you want to know, I will go up and show you."

"Are there any papers there?" demanded the constable, sharply.

"Yes, sir, there are two or three newspapers."

"Any written papers?"

"Not a paper."

"Have you had any papers there at any time?"

"No, sir; I don't remember that I ever did. I keep my papers in the
table drawer in the kitchen."

"Didn't you know there was a package of papers in the chest--such as
bonds, deeds, and notes?"

"No, sir, I didn't know it. I never saw anything of the kind there,"
replied Leo, still puzzled, but satisfied now that something serious
had happened.

"Have you overhauled the contents of your chest lately?"

"No, sir; not since last summer, that I remember."

"Leo, in your chest were found the papers which Mr. Checkynshaw lost."

"Then that Mr. Hart, or whatever his name was, put them there!"