"If you please, sir, Miss Rolleston says the robber had no beard.

Miss have never noticed Seaton's face, but his beard she have; and, oh, if you please, sir, she begged me to ask him--Was it you that fired the pistol and shot the robber ?" The delivery of this ungrammatical message, but rational query was like a ray of light streaming into a dark place.

It changed the whole aspect of things.

As for Seaton, he received it as if Heaven was speaking to him through Wilson.

His sullen air relaxed, the water stood in his eyes, he smiled affectionately, and said in a low, tender voice, "Tell her I heard some bad characters talking about this house--that was a month ago--so ever since then I have slept in the tool-house to watch.