There was a moment’s ominous silence after that:  perhaps Mr. Hamilton was praying for self-control; he had grown frightfully pale, and yet he was a man who rarely changed colour:  the veins on his forehead were swollen, and when he spoke his voice was hoarse with repressed passion.

’What have you to say for yourself, Leah?  Do you know I could indict you for conspiracy and conniving at theft?’

‘I know that very well,’ returned the woman, trying to brave it out; but she could not meet his indignant look.  ’But it is your own flesh and blood that is in fault here.  Miss Etta is more to blame than I.’

Mr. Hamilton crossed the room and locked the door, putting the key coolly in his pocket; then he made me sit down,—­for I had been standing all this time,—­and, as though to enforce obedience, he kept his hand on my arm.  I could see Leah looking about her as though she were caught in a trap:  her light-coloured eyes had a scintillating look of fear in them.

‘Now, Leah,’ observed her master, in a terrible voice, ’if you are to expect any mercy at my hand you will make a clean breast; but first you will answer my question:  Has Miss Garston repeated the conversation between you and Miss Etta correctly?’

‘Yes, I believe so,’ very sullenly.

’You saw Miss Etta take the cheque with your own eyes the night before Mr. Eric left home?’

‘Yes.’  Then, as though these questions tortured her, she said doggedly—­

’Look here, sir; I am caught in a trap, and there is no getting out of it.  I have lost my place and my character, thanks to Miss Garston,’—­another vindictive look at me.  ’If you will promise like a gentleman not to take advantage of my evidence, I will tell you all about it.’

‘I will make no promises,’ he returned, in the same stern voice; ’but if you do not speak I will send for the police at once, and have you up before a magistrate.  You have connived at theft; that will be sufficient to criminate you.’

‘I know all about that,’ was the unflinching answer; ’and I know for the old mistress’s sake you will be glad to hush it all up:  it would not be pleasant to bring your own cousin before a magistrate, especially after promising the old mistress on her death-bed to be as good to Miss Etta as though she were your own sister.’

I saw the shadow of some sorrowful recollection cross his face as she said this.  I had heard from Max how dearly he had loved his aunt Margaret:  though her daughter had wrought such evil in his life, he would still seek to shield her.  Leah knew this too, and took advantage of her knowledge in her crafty manner.

’It would be best to tell you all, for Mr. Eric’s sake.  I know Miss Etta will be safe with you.  She has done a deal of mischief since she has been under your roof.  Somehow crooked ways come natural to her:  the old mistress knew that, for she once said to me towards the last, “Leah, I am afraid my poor child has got some twist or warp in her nature; but I hope my nephew will never find out her want of straightforwardness.”  And she begged me, with tears in her eyes, to watch over her and try to influence her, although I was only a servant; and for a little while I tried, only the devil tempted me, for the sake of poor Bob.’