rbs of London. This lady--known to local fame as Miss
Wigger--had already proposed to take Syd into training as a pupil
teacher. "I'll force the child on," Miss Wigger promised, "till she
can earn her board and lodging by taking my lowest class. When she
gets older she will replace my regular governess, and I shall save the
salary."

With this proposal waiting for a reply, Mrs. Westerfield had only to
inform her sister that it was accepted. "Come here," she wrote, "on
Friday next, at any time before two o'clock, and Syd shall be ready for
you. P.S.--I am to be married again on Thursday, and start for America
with my husband and my boy by next Saturday's steamer."

The letter was posted; and the mother's anxious mind was, to use her own
phrase, relieved of another worry.

As the hour of eight drew near on Wednesday evening, Mrs. Westerfield's
anxiety forced her to find relief in action of some kind. She opened the
door of her sitting-room and listened on the stairs. It still wanted for
a few minutes to eight o'clock, when there was a ring at the house-bell.
She ran down to open the door. The servant happened to be in the hall,
and answered the bell. The next moment, the door was suddenly closed
again.

"Anybody there?" Mrs. Westerfield asked.

"No, ma'am."

This seemed strange. Had the old wretch deceived her, after all? "Look
in the letter-box," she called out. The servant obeyed, and found
a letter. Mrs. Westerfield tore it open, standing on the stairs. It
contained half a sheet of common note-paper. The interpretation of the
cipher was written on it in these words:

"Remember Number 12, Purbeck Road, St. John's Wood. Go to the
summer-house in the back garden. Count to the fourth plank in the floor,
reckoning from the side wall on the right as you enter the summer-house.
Prize up the plank. Look under the mould and rubbish. Find the
diamonds."

Not a word of explanation accompanied these lines. Neither had the
original cipher been returned. The strange old man had earned his money,
and had not attended to receive it--had not even sent word where or
how it might be paid! Had he delivered his letter himself? He (or his
messenger) had gone before the house-door could be opened!

A sudden suspicion of him turned her cold. Had he stolen the diamonds?
She was on the point of sending for a cab, and driving it to his
lodgings, when James came in, eager to know if the interpretation had
arrived.

Keeping her suspi