The letter was posted; and the mother's anxious mind was, to use
her own phrase, relieved of another worry.

As the hour of eight drew near on Wednesday evening, Mrs.
Westerfield's anxiety forced her to find relief in action of some
kind. She opened the door of her sitting-room and listened on the
stairs. It still wanted for a few minutes to eight o'clock, when
there was a ring at the house-bell. She ran down to open the
door. The servant happened to be in the hall, and answered the
bell. The next moment, the door was suddenly closed again.

"Anybody there?" Mrs. Westerfield asked.

"No, ma'am."

This seemed strange. Had the old wretch deceived her, after all?
"Look in the letter-box," she called out. The servant obeyed, and
found a letter. Mrs. Westerfield tore it open, standing on the
stairs. It contained half a sheet of common note-paper. The
interpretation of the cipher was written on it in these words:

"Remember Number 12, Purbeck Road, St. John's Wood. Go to the
summer-house in the back garden. Count to the fourth plank in the
floor, reckoning from the side wall on the right as you enter the
summer-house. Prize up the plank. Look under the mould and
rubbish. Find the diamonds."

Not a word of explanation accompanied these lines. Neither had
the original cipher been returned. The strange old man had earned
his money, and had not attended to receive it--had not even sent