.

"Now, my good woman, what is it?" Captain Bayley said, as she entered.
"I am going out in a few minutes, so come straight to the point, if you
please."

"I will come as straight as I can, sir," Mrs. Holl said breathlessly,
"but indeed, sir, I am a bad hand at explaining things, and if you snaps
me up I shall never get on with it."

Captain Bayley smiled a little. "Well, I will try and not snap you up
if you will come to the point. Now, what is the point?"

"The point, sir," Mrs. Holl said despairingly, "is a hand with three
fingers a-holding of a dagger."

Captain Bayley looked astonished. "You mean my crest," he said; "why,
what on earth are you driving at?"

"Evan saw it on the forks," Mrs. Holl explained.

"Yes, no doubt he did," Captain Bayley said; "but what of that? That's
my crest."

"Yes, sir, so Evan said, and when he told me it just knocked me silly
like, and says I to him, says I----"

"Never mind what you said to him," Captain Bayley broke in, "what is it
you want to say to me? What is there curious in my crest being on my
spoons? Now just wait one minute, and tell me as plainly as you can."

Mrs. Holl waited a minute.

"Well, sir, it struck me all in a heap, because I've got in the house a
thing with just such another hand, a-holding of a knife in it."

"Oh!" Captain Bayley said, "you have got some article with my crest on
it in your house. How did you come by it? It must have been stolen."

"No, sir, I will take my davey as the young person as was my son Harry's
mother never stole nothing in her life."

"The young person who was your son Harry's mother," Captain Bayley
repeated, in a somewhat puzzled tone. "Are you talking of yourself?"

"Lor' no, sir, the young person."

"But what young person do you mean? How can any young person have been
your son Harry's mother except yourself?"

"He ain't really my son, you see, sir; he is the son of a young person
who we took in, John and I, and who died at our house; Harry is her
son."

A great change passed over Captain Bayley's face, the expression of
impatience died out, and was succeeded by one almost of awe. He dropped
the paper which he had hitherto held in his hand, and leaning forward he
asked in low tones--

"Do you mean that a woman who had in her possession some article with my
crest on it, and who had a child with her, died in your house?"

"Yes, sir, that's what I mean; the article is a little gold seal, with a
red stone to