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And Mrs。 Gilbert was at home。 Good fortune number two！ Matty's star was surely in the ascendant！ Matty sent in her card； and the nice old lady presented herself at once； remembered who Matty was； remembered how much business Mr。 Molyneux used to bring to the office； and how grateful Mr。 Gilbert always was。 She was so glad to see Matty； and she hoped Mr。 Molyneux was well； and Mrs。 Molyneux and all those little ones！ She used to see them every Sunday as they went to church； if they went on the avenue。
Thus encouraged； Matty opened on her sad story； and was fairly helped from stage to stage by the wonder； indignation； and exclamations of the kind old lady。 When Matty came to the end； and made her understand how much depended on the day…book； register； and ledger of her husband； it was a fair minute before she spoke。
〃We will see； my dear； we will see。 I wish it may be so； but I 'm all afeard。 It would not be like him； my dear。 It would not be like any of them。 But come with me； my dear； we will seewe will see。〃
Then； as Matty followed her； through devious ways； out through the kitchen； across a queer bricked yard； into a half stable； half woodshed； which the good woman unlocked； she went on talking：
〃You see； my dear child； that though notaries are called notaries； as if it were their business to give notice； the most important part of their business is keeping secrets。 Now； when a man's note goes to protest； the notary tells him what has happened； which he knew very well before； and then he comes to the notary and begs him not to tell anybody else； and of course he does not。 And the business of a notary's account books； as my husband used to say； is to tell just enough； and not to tell any more。
〃Why； my dear child； he would not use blotting…paper in the office；he would always use sand。 ‘Blotting… paper！ Never！' he would say； 'Blotting…paper tells secrets！'〃
With such chatter they came to the little chilly room； which was shelved all around； and to Matty's glad eyes presented rows of green and blue and blue and red boxes；and folio and quarto books of every date； from 1829 to 1869； forty years in which the late Mr。 Gilbert had been confirming history； keeping secret what he knew； but making sure what； but for him； might have been doubted by a sceptic world。
Things were in good order。 Mrs。 Gilbert was proud to show that they were in good order。 The day…book for 1863 was at hand。 Matty knew the fatal dates only too well。 And the fatal entries were here！
How her heart beat as she began to read！
Cr。 To Thomas Molyneux Esq。； （B。 I。 I。） official authentication of signature of Felipe Gazza 。 。 。 1。25 Same； authentication of signature of Jose B。 Du Camara 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 1。25 Same； authentication of signature of Jacob H。 Cole 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 1。25
And this was all！ Poor Matty copied it all； but all the time she begged Mrs。 Gilbert to tell her if there was not some note…book or journal that would tell more。 And kind Mrs。 Gilbert looked eagerly for what she called the 〃Diry。〃 At the proper dates on the cash…book； at intervals of a week or two； Matty found similar entries the names of the two Spaniards appearing in all these but other names in place of Cole's just as Tom had told her already。 By the time she had copied all of these； Mrs。 Gilbert had found the 〃Diry。〃 Eager； and yet heart… sick； Matty turned it over with her old friend。
This was all：
〃Mr。 Molyneux here。 Very private。 Papers in R。 G。 E。〃 And then followed a little burst of unintelligible short…hand。
Poor Matty！ She could not but feel that here would not be evidence good for anything； even in a novel。 But she copied every word carefully； as a chief clerk's daughter should do。 She thanked the kind old lady； and even kissed her。 She looked at her watch。 Heavens！ how fast time had gone！ and the afternoons were so short！
〃Yes； my dear Miss Molyneux； but they have turned； my dear； the day is a little longer and a little lighter。〃
Did the old lady mean it for an omen； or was it only one of those chattering remarks on meteors and weather change of which old age is so fond？ Matty wondered； but did not know。 Fast as she could； she tripped bravely on to the avenue for her street car。
〃The day is longer and lighter。〃
Meanwhile Tom was following his clue in the public rooms at Willard's； to which； as he prophesied； Mr。 Greenhithe had returned after the unusual variation in his life of a morning spent in the sanctuary。 Tom bought a copy of the Baltimore 〃The Sun；〃 and went into one of the larger rooms resorted to by travellers and loafers； and sat down。 But Mr。 Greenhithe did not appear there。 Tom walked up and down through the passages a little uneasily； for he was sure the ex…clerk had come into the hotel。 He went up and looked in at the ladies' sitting…rooms； to see if perhaps some Duchess of Devonshire； of high political circles； had found it worth while to drag Mr。 Greenhithe up there by a single hair。 No Mr。 Greenhithe！ Tom was forced to go down and drink a glass of beer to see if Mr。 Greenhithe was not thirsty。 But at that moment； though Mr。 Greenhithe was generally thirsty in the middle of the day； and although many men were thirsty at the time Tom hung over his glass of lager； Mr。 Greenhithe was not thirsty there。 It was only as Tom passed the billiard…room that he saw Mr。 Greenhithe was playing a game of billiards； by way of celebrating the new birth of a regenerated world。
What to do now！ Tom could not； in common decency； go in to look on at the game of a man he wanted to choke。 Yet Tom would have given all his chances for rank in the Academy to know what Greenhithe was talking about。 Tom slowly withdrew。
As he withdrew； whom should be meet but one of his kindest friends； Commodore Benbow？ When the boys made their 〃experimental cruise〃 the year before； they had found Commodore Benbow's ship at Lisbon。 The Commodore had taken a particular fancy to Tom； because he had known his mother when they were boy and girl。 Tom had even been invited personally to the flag…ship； and was to have been presented at Court； but that they sailed too soon。
To tell the whole truth； the Commodore was not overpleased to see his protege hanging about the bar and billiard…room on Christmas Day。 For himself； his whole family were living at Willard's； but he knew Tom's father was not living there； and he thought Tom might be better employed。
Perhaps Tom guessed this。 Perhaps he was in despair。 Anyway he knew 〃Old Benbow；〃 as the boys called him； would be a good counsellor。 In point of statistics 〃Old Benbow〃 was just turned forty； had not a gray hair in his head； could have beaten any one of Tom's class； whether in gunning or at billiards； could have demonstrated every problem in Euclid while they were fiddling over the forty…seventh proposition。 He was at the very prime of well…preserved power； but young nineteen called him 〃Old Benbow；〃 as young nineteen will； in such cases。
Bold with despair； or with love for his father； Tom stopped 〃Old Benbow〃