While Jack was asleep,any person,with a soft step and a delicate hand,might have approached his bedside,when the house was quiet for the night,and have taken his bag.And,again,any person within hearing of the alarm that he had raised,some hours afterwards,might have put the bag back,while he was recovering himself in Mrs.Wagner's room.Who could have been near enough to hear the alarm?Somebody in the empty bedrooms above?Or somebody in the solitary offices below?If a theft had really been committed,the one likely object of it would be the key of the desk.This pointed to the probability that the alarm had reached the ears of the thief in the offices.Was there any person in the house,from the honest servants upwards,whom it would be reasonably possible to suspect of theft?Mrs.Wagner returned to her bed.She was not a woman to be daunted by trifles--but on this occasion her courage failed her when she was confronted by her own question.
CHAPTER X
The office hours,in the winter-time,began at nine o'clock.From the head-clerk to the messenger,not one of the persons employed slept in the house:it was Mr.Keller's wish that they should all be absolutely free to do what they liked with their leisure time in the evening:"I know that I can trust them,from the oldest to the youngest man in my service,"he used to say;"and I like to show it."Under these circumstances,Mrs.Wagner had only to rise earlier than usual,to be sure of having the whole range of the offices entirely to herself.At eight o'clock,with Jack in attendance,she was seated at her desk,carefully examining the different objects that it contained.
Nothing was missing;nothing had been moved out of its customary place.
No money was kept in the desk.But her valuable watch,which had stopped on the previous day,had been put there,to remind her that it must be sent to be cleaned.The watch,like everything else,was found in its place.If some person had really opened her desk in the night,no common thief had been concerned,and no common object had been in view.
She took the key of the iron safe from its pigeon-hole,and opened the door.Her knowledge of the contents of this repository was far from being accurate.The partners each possessed a key,but Mr.Keller had many more occasions than Mrs.Wagner for visiting the safe.And to make a trustworthy examination more difficult still,the mist of the early morning was fast turning into a dense white fog.
Of one thing,however,Mrs.Wagner was well aware--a certain sum of money,in notes and securities,was always kept in this safe as a reserve fund.She took the tin box in which the paper money was placed close to the light,and counted its contents.Then,replacing it in the safe,she opened the private ledger next,to compare the result of her counting with the entry relating to the Fund.
Being unwilling to cause surprise,perhaps to excite suspicion,by calling for a candle before the office hours had begun,she carried the ledger also to the window.There was just light enough to see the sum total in figures.To her infinite relief,it exactly corresponded with the result of her counting.She secured everything again in its proper place;and,after finally locking the desk,handed the key to Jack.He shook his head,and refused to take it.More extraordinary still,he placed his bag,with all the other keys in it,on the desk,and said,"Please keep it for me;I'm afraid to keep it myself."Mrs.Wagner looked at him with a first feeling of alarm,which changed instantly to compassion.The tears were in his eyes;his sensitive vanity was cruelly wounded."My poor boy,"she said gently,"what is it that troubles you?"The tears rolled down Jack's face."I'm a wretched creature,"he said;"I'm not fit to keep the keys,after letting a thief steal them last night.Take them back,Mistress--I'm quite broken-hearted.Please try me again,in London.""A thief?"Mrs.Wagner repeated."Haven't you seen me examine everything?
And mind,if there _had_been any dishonest person about the house last night,the key of my desk is the only key that a thief would have thought worth stealing.I happen to be sure of that.Come!come!don't be down-hearted.You know I never deceive you--and I say you are quite wrong in suspecting that your bag was stolen last night."Jack solemnly lifted his hand,as his custom was in the great emergencies of his life."And _I_say,"he reiterated,"there is a thief in the house.And you will find it out before long.When we are back in London again,I will be Keeper of the Keys.Never,never,never more,here!"It was useless to contend with him;the one wise course was to wait until his humor changed.Mrs.Wagner locked up his bag,and put the key of the desk back in her pocket.She was not very willing to own it even to herself--Jack's intense earnestness had a little shaken her.
After breakfast that morning,Minna lingered at the table,instead of following her mother upstairs as usual.When Mr.Keller also had left the room,she addressed a little request of her own to Mrs.Wagner.
"I have got a very difficult letter to write,"she said,"and Fritz thought you might be kind enough to help me.""With the greatest pleasure,my dear.Does your mother know of this letter?""Yes;it was mamma who said I ought to write it.But she is going out this morning;and,when I asked for a word of advice,she shook her head.
'They will think it comes from me,'she said,'and the whole effect of it will be spoilt.'It's a letter,Mrs.Wagner,announcing my marriage to mamma's relations here,who have behaved so badly to her--and she says they may do something for me,if I write to them as if I had done it all out of my own head.I don't know whether I make myself understood?""Perfectly,Minna.Come to my writing-room,and we will see what we can do together."Mrs.Wagner led the way out.As she opened the door,Madame Fontaine passed her in the hall,in walking costume,with a small paper-packet in her hand.