Part 10 (1/2)

'Well,' said Euan, 'the only explanation is, that that order ca it'

Allan nodded

'You see, Miss Marjorie,' continued Euan, 'Neilsent off a post-office order that day He had got one on the evening before, when he was at the MacAlisters', and he put it in the pocket of his reefer jacket You know that new churn he got for hisfor that by instalments and this was one of the payments The day after the robbery, he went into the post-office, got the order, put it into an envelope containing a note to say that he hoped to send the last instalment next week, and sent it away But the order that caht at Mrs MacAlister's that night; and the curious thing is, that he found the order that he believed he had sent away, still in his coat pocket when he went to look At least that's the story he tells, poor lad'

'Then,' said Allan, 'how do you account for the wrong order being in the letter?'

Euan pondered a minute, and then said, 'Mr Allan, there's only one explanation of it, so far as I can see So suspicion on to Neil You say that there was more than one order in the laird's letter?'

'Yes,' replied Allan, 'and they don't see about the others yet'

'They will turn up some day, no doubt, and then the wholeto go by to help the poor lad Perhaps they h

'Oh, I hope so,' cried the girls, 'and then they'll get their finger on the real culprit?'

'The person who did it must have put the order into Neil's pocket,'

said Allan 'How could they have ed it and ould make them think of Neil?'

'Well, Mr Allan; you kno these country post-offices are kept

The letter-box is in the MacAlisters' kitchen, which is at the saoes in and out The box is never locked; and after the letters are sorted they often lie on the table for hours, waiting until the postman comes to take them away Any one as not honest could easily slip into the kitchen when Mrs

MacAlister's back was turned and do what they liked with the letters; but such a thing has never happened before Nohoever committed the robbery has seen that Neil was in the post-office that evening, turning over the letters; and he saw that Neil got a money order to send away

All this uilt on to, so after breaking into the post-office that night he slipped into the house, unknown to Neil or his mother, and put the order where Neil was likely to take it for his own'

Allan nodded approvingly when the coastguard paused in as an unusually long effort for hi in that,' he said 'But ould have done such a thing?'

'There is one ht have done it, and that man has had every opportunity'

'Who is that?'

'Do you know a lad called Andrew MacPeters? He works for the MacAlisters soie, who had been listening but saying little

'A red-headed man with foxy eyes'

'The same,' said Euan 'He is always in and out of the house; andthat went on He has always hated Neil since he was a lad, and got a beating from Neil, as much smaller than himself He would only be too pleased to do him an ill turn It shows a nasty, mean disposition that he should have taken the trouble to break open the box and throw the letters all about the shop when he only had to open it and take out what he wanted Keep a look-out on that entlemen, if you want to find out what is at the bottom of the whole affair'

'We will,' they all said

'And if you could find out anything before the case co the lad and his mother too; for she will be heart-broken if her son is not cleared, and that quickly'