rtainly
been very considerate, and had done no mischief either for plunder or
diversion. He had evidently, in the opinion of Mrs. Passford and her
son, undertaken a profitless enterprise.

"But what could have been his object in coming into the house?" asked
the bewildered lady.

"I shall have to give it up, mother."

"He might have taken Florry's watch, she was so careless as to leave on
the table in the sitting-room," added she.

"But he did not."

"He could not have been disturbed until you spoke to him; and he might
have ransacked the whole of the lower part of the house."

"But he did not."

They had given up the examination of the premises, and given up the
conundrum, and Christy was leading the way up-stairs. He went into his
room, followed by his mother.

"He must have come into your room, my son, or you would not have heard
him at the door. Perhaps he has robbed you," suggested Mrs. Passford.

The young officer declared he had nothing there to steal. As he spoke,
he took from his coat pocket on the bedpost an envelope containing his
commission and other papers. It was safe; so were his purse and watch.

The mystery was not solved till Christy embarked for the Gulf.

CHAPTER II

THE ABSCONDING MAN-SERVANT

Lieutenant Christopher Passford, in his two years' experience in
the navy, had been under the fire of the enemy too many times to
be intimidated by a burglar, and he felt a certain contempt for the
midnight marauder, who had entered the mansion and disturbed his restful
slumbers. He returned to his bed, therefore, and slept like a marine
till the call bell woke him in the morning.

As he dressed himself he could not help thinking of the mysterious
visitation, and he asked himself a great many questions in regard to the
object of the intruder, since it did not appear that he had entered the
house for the purpose of robbing its occupants. He could not determine
whether or not the fellow had actually come into his room; but his
porte-monnaie, which contained a considerable sum of money, and his gold
repeater, a very valuable watch, were just where he had left them the
night before.

In the breast pocket of his uniform coat he found the envelope which
contained his commission as a lieutenant, received only two days before
his orders, and some other papers. As a precaution against inquisitive
persons, if the package should happen to be mislaid in the house, he had
applied some mucilage i