I only know they told me they had effected the
purchase."
"Pardon me," said the Major. "Have you not been through this cupboard
before?"
West looked at him with a frown.
"Yes; in a search for my own stock," he said. "But I found neither that
nor any deed to the Bogue property. I am not a thief, Major Doyle."
"You stole the keys, though," said Louise, pointedly.
"I did not even do that," said West. "On the day of the funeral Joe
carelessly left them lying upon a table, so I slipped them into my
pocket. When I thought of them again Joe had gone away and I did not
know his address. I came over and searched the cupboard unsuccessfully.
But it was not a matter of great importance at that time if the stock
was mislaid, since there was no one to contest my ownership of it. It
was only after Mr. Merrick accused me of robbing my old friends and
ordered my payments stopped that I realized it was important to me to
prove my ownership. That is why I came here today."
Again a silence fell upon the group. Said Uncle John, finally:
"If the deed to the Bogue tract can be found, Joe and Ethel will be
rich. I wonder what became of the paper."
No one answered, for here was another mystery.
CHAPTER XXIV.
PEGGY HAS REVENGE.
Joe Wegg made a rapid recovery, his strength returning under the
influence of pleasant surroundings and frequent visits from Ethel and
Uncle John's three nieces.
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