But there are no others missing.

Who could have taken it ?" "Any one, my boy; Bartlett Cloud, for preference.

Your door is unlocked, he comes in when he knows you are out, looks on the table, sees nothing there that will serve, goes to the bureau, opens the top drawer, and finds a pile of letters.

He takes the first one, which is, of course, the last received, and sneaks out.

Then he climbs into the bell tower at night, cuts the rope through all but one small strand, and puts your letter on the floor where it will be found in the morning.
Isn't that plain enough ?" Joel nodded forlornly.