"It's an odd thing for him to turn thief," said he, reflectively. "I'd have trusted that young fellow, sir, with gold," he added, to Mr. Ashley. "Here's another proof how we may be deceived."
"I told you," said Mr. Dare, turning to Mr. Ashley, "that it could be no other than Halliburton."
"Thee will permit me to say, friend Dare, that I do not agree with thy ," interposed the Quaker, before Mr. Ashley could answer.
"Why, what would you have?" returned Mr. Dare. "Nothing can be plainer. Ask Sergeant Delves if he thinks further proof can be needed."
"Many a man has been hanged upon less," was the oracular answer of Sergeant Delves.
"What part of my deductions do you object to?" inquired Mr. Dare of the Quaker.
"Thee art assuming—if I understand thee correctly—that there is no other cloak in the city so similar to William's as to be mistaken for it."
"Just so."
"Then, friend, I tell thee that there is."
Mr. Dare opened his eyes. "Who wears it?" he asked.
"That is another question," said Samuel Lynn. "I should be glad to find out myself, for curiosity's sake."
Then Mr. Lynn told the story of his having observed a man, whom he had taken for William, walking at the back of his house, waiting for something. "I saw him on two evenings," he observed, "at some considerable of time. The figure bore a perfect resemblance to William Halliburton; the height, the cloak, the cap—all appeared to be his. I taxed him with it. He denied it in toto, said he had not been walking there at all, and I believed he was attempting, for the first time since I have known him, to deceive me. I——"
"Are you sure he was not?" put in Mr. Dare.
"Thee should allow me to finish, friend. Last night I was home somewhat earlier than usual—thee can why," the Quaker added, looking at Mr. Ashley. "I was up in my room, and I saw the same figure pacing about in the same manner. William's denial had staggered me, otherwise I could have been ready to affirm that it was himself and no other. The moon was not up; but it was a very light night, and I marked every point in the cloak—it was as like William's as two peas are like each other. What he could want, pacing at the back of my house and of his, puzzled me much. I——"
"What time was this, Mr. Lynn?" interrupted the sergeant.
"Past eight o'clock. Later than the hour at which I had seen him on the two previous occasions. 'It is William Halliburton, of a surety,' I said to myself; and I thought I would upon him, and so convict him of the falsehood he had told. I left my house by the front door, went down the road, past the houses, and entered the gate admitting into the field. I walked up quietly, keeping under the hedge as much as possible, and approached William—as I deemed him to be. He was then still, and gazing at the upper windows of my house. In spite of my caution, he heard me, and turned round. Whether he knew me or not, I cannot say; but he clipped the cloak around him with a hasty movement, and made off right across the field. I would not be if I could help it. I opened friend Jane Halliburton's back gate, and proceeded through the garden and house to the parlour, which I entered without ceremony. There sat William at his books."
"Then it was not he, after all!" cried Mr. Dare, interested in the tale.
"Of a surety it was not he. I tell thee, friend, he was seated quietly at his studies. 'Hast thee lent thy cloak to a friend to-night?' I asked him. He looked surprised, and said he had not. But, to be convinced, I requested to see his cloak, and he took me outside the door, and there was the cloak hanging up in the passage, his cap beside it. That is why I did not approve of thy deductions, friend Anthony Dare, in assuming that the cloak, which the man had on who changed the cheque, must be William Halliburton's," concluded Mr. Lynn.
"You say the man looked like William when you were close to him?" inquired Mr. Ashley, who thought the whole affair very curious, and now broke silence for the first time.
"Very much like him," answered Samuel Lynn. "But the resemblance may have been only in the cloak and cap. The face was not discernible; by accident or design, it was . I think there need not be better negative proof that it was not William who changed the cheque."
Mr. Ashley smiled. "Without this evidence of Mr. Lynn's I could have told you it was waste of time to cast suspicion on William Halliburton to me," said he, addressing the sergeant and Mr. Dare. "Were you to come here and accuse myself, it would make just as much impression upon me. Wait an instant, gentlemen."
He went to the door, opened it, and called William. The latter came in, , , noble—never suspecting the sergeant's business there could have anything to do with him.
"William," began his master, "who is it that wears a similar cloak to yours, in the town?"
"I am unable to say, sir," was William's ready reply. "Until last night," and he turned to Samuel Lynn with a smile, "I should have said there was not another like it. I suppose now there must be one."
"If there is one, there may be more," remarked Mr. Ashley. "The fact is, William, the cheque has been traced. It was changed at White's, the butcher; and the person changing it wore a cloak, it seems, very much like yours."
"Indeed!" cried William, with . "Well, sir, of course there may be many such cloaks in the town. All I can say is, I have not seen them."
"There can't be many," up the sergeant, "if it be the old-fashioned sort of thing described to me."
William looked the sergeant full in the face with his open countenance, his honest eyes. No there. "Would you like to see my cloak?" he asked. "It may be a guide, if you think the one worn resembled it."
The sergeant nodded. "I was going to ask you to bring it in, if it was here."
William brought it in. "It is one of the bygones," said he laughing. "I have some thoughts of forwarding it to the British Museum, as a of . Stay! I will put it on, that you may see its beauties the better."
He threw the cloak over his shoulders, and exhibited himself off, as he had done once before in that counting-house for the benefit of Samuel Lynn. "I think the British Museum will get it," he continued, in the same joking spirit. "Not until winter's over, though. It is a good friend on a cold night."
Sergeant Delves' eyes were on the cloak. "Where have I seen that cloak?" he , in a dreamy tone. "Lately, too!"
"You may have seen me in it," said William.
The sergeant shook his head. He lifted one hand to his temples, and proceeded to rub them gently, as if the process would assist his memory, never once relaxing his gaze.
"Did White say the changer of the cheque was a tall man?" asked Mr. Ashley.
"Yes," said Mr. Dare. "Whether he meant as tall as William Halliburton, I cannot say. There are not—why, I should think there are not a hundred men in the town who come up to that height," he added, looking at William.
"Yourself one of them," said William, turning to him with a smile.
Mr. Dare shook his head, a regret for his past youth crossing his heart. "Ay, once. I am beginning to grow downward now."
Mr. Ashley was buried in reflection. There was a curious sound of mystery about the tale altogether, to his ears. That there were many thieves in Helstonleigh, he did not doubt—people who would appropriate a cheque, or anything else that came in their way; but why the same person—if it was the same—should pace the cold field at night, watching Samuel Lynn's house, was . "It may not be the same," he observed aloud. "Shall you watch for the man again?" he asked of Mr. Lynn.
"I shall not give myself much trouble over it now," was the reply. "While I was concerned to William's truthfulness——"
"I scarcely think you need have doubted it, Mr. Lynn," interrupted William.
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