Now, Miss Trevethick, you were
aware that your father kept a large sum of money--these two thousand
pounds--in his strong-box, were you not?"
"I was, Sir."
"Did you ever speak to the prisoner at the bar about it?"
"I think--yes, I did, Sir, on one occasion," and here Harry's voice
fluttered and faltered. No one noticed it, however, except the prisoner;
if any neighbor eyes had watched him narrowly--but they were all fixed
upon the witness--they would have seen his face whiten, and his brow
grow damp. Why should she have laid that stress upon "on one occasion?"
"You told him that the two thousand pounds were in the box in the
cupboard in your bedroom?"
"I did, Sir."
"The fastening of the box was not an ordinary lock, I believe. It was
what is called a letter padlock?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Did you ever open it?"
"No, Sir."
A great bell seemed to be suddenly set tolling in Richard's brain--it
was the knell of all his hopes.
"You had never opened it at that time, eh?" continued Mr. Balais,
cheerfully. "But you learned the secret afterward?"
"I--yes--I did."
"Do you remember the letters that did open it?"
"Yes, Sir."
"What were they?"
"B, N, Z."
"Very good. We have heard from the counsel for the prosecution that they
were so; and that Mr.
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