"That will not be easy," murmured Hope thoughtfully, "though, of

course, the same must have been brought by river. Let us go down to the

embankment and see if there are any signs of a boat having been brought

there last night," and he moved to the door. "Random?"

"I cannot leave the Fort, as I am on duty," replied the officer, putting

the manuscript away in a drawer and locking the same, "but this evening

I shall see Don Pedro, and in the meanwhile I shall endeavor to learn

from my servant who visited me lately while I was absent. The manuscript

must have been brought here by someone. But I trust," he added as he

escorted his two visitors to the door, "that you now acquit me of--"

"Yes! yes! yes!" cried Braddock, hastily cutting him short and shaking

his hand. "I apologize for my suspicions. Now I maintain that you are

innocent."

"And I never believed you to be guilty," cried Hope heartily.

"Thank you both," said Random simply, and, having closed the door, he

returned to a chair near the fire to smoke a pipe, and meditate over his

future movements. "An enemy hath done this," said Random, referring

to the concealment of the manuscript, but he could think of no one who

desired to harm him in any way.




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