With anxious haste he began to dig, and soon his spade struck the lid of one of the chests.

For a moment he breathed again; but he was impelled to carry his search farther.

He uncovered the chest and raised the lid--it was empty! In a wild fear and fury he dug again and again, and with the same result.

Every chest or box was in its place, but every one was empty! The treasure had been spirited away by some spoiler's hand; the treasure of Trevlyn was lost from that night forward!" Cuthbert was leaning forward drinking all in with eager curiosity.
"My father discovered the loss--my father ?" Kate nodded her head, and seemed to divine the thought in his mind, for she answered as if he had spoken it aloud.
"We have all thought of that.

I know it is sometimes in my father's mind as he looks at his kinsman's grim face; but our grand sire never suspected him for a moment--nay, he vowed he was certain he had had no part nor lot in the matter.