"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.