about it any more to-night; you
may draw the curtains."

But here the clear, almost strident voice of the youngest man of the
party interposed.

"Wait a minute," said he. "This especial coin is the great treasure of
Mr. Sedgwick's valuable collection. It is unique in this country, and
not only worth a great deal of money, but cannot be duplicated at any
cost. There are only three of its stamp in the world. Shall we let the
matter pass, then, as though it were of small importance? I feel that we
cannot; that we are, in a measure, responsible for its disappearance.
Mr. Sedgwick handed it to us to look at, and while it was going through
our hands it vanished. What must he think? What has he every right to
think? I need not put it into words; you know what you would think, what
you could not help but think, if the object were yours and it was lost
in this way. Gentlemen--I leave the ladies entirely out of this--I do
not propose that he shall have further opportunity to associate me with
this very natural doubt. I demand the privilege of emptying my pockets
here and now, before any of us have left his presence. I am a
connoisseur in coins myself and consequently find it imperative to take
the initiative in this matter. As I propose to spare the ladies, let us
step back into the dining-room. Mr. Sedgwick, pray don't deny me; I'm
thoroughly in earnest, I assure you."

The astonishment created by this audacious proposition was so great, and
the feeling it occasioned so intense, that for an instant all stood
speechless. Young Hammersley was a millionaire himself, and generous to
a fault, as all knew. Under no circumstances would any one even suspect
him of appropriating anything, great or small, to which he had not a
perfect right. Nor was he likely to imagine for a moment that any one
would. That he could make such a proposition then, based upon any such
plea, argued a definite suspicion in some other quarter, which could not
pass unrecognised. In vain Mr. Sedgwick raised his voice in frank and
decided protest, two of the gentlemen had already made a quick move
toward Robert, who still stood, stupefied by the situation, with his
hand on the cord which controlled the curtains.

"He is quite right," remarked one of these, as he passed into the
dining-room. "I shouldn't sleep a wink to-night if this question
remained unsettled." The other, the oldest man present, the financier of
whose standing and highly esteemed character I