韦斯特看着野餐的大队人马出了米尔维尔，随后锁了门信步向着维格农场走去。从小径先行返回的贝丝和帕齐看到韦斯特从约翰叔叔屋子的窗户爬了进去，两个手无缚鸡之力的小姑娘会怎样做呢？将他抓个现行还是等着约翰叔叔回来再行动？
"We're early，"said Beth，as they came to the edge of the woods and sighted the farm house；"but that is better than being late."Then she stopped suddenly with a low cry and pointed to the right wing，which directly faced them.Bob West turned the corner of the house，tried the door of Uncle John's room，and then walked to one of the French windows.The sasha was not fastened，so he deliberately opened it and stepped inside.
"What shall we do？"gasped Patsy，clasping her handsexcitedly.
Beth was always cool in an emergency.
"You creep up to the window，dear，and wait till you hear me open the inside door，"said she."I'll run through the house and enter from the living—room.The key is under the mat，you know.""But what can we do？Oughtn't we to wait until UncleJohn and father come？"Patsy asked，in a trembling voice."Of course not.West might rob the cupboard and be goneby that time.We've got to act promptly，Patsy；so don't beafraid."Without further words Beth ran around the back of the house and disappeared，while Patsy，trying to control the beating of her heart，stole softly over the lawn to the open window of Uncle John's room.
She could not help looking in，at the risk of discovery.
Bob West—tall，lean and composed as ever—was standing beside the cupboard，the doors of which were wide open.The outer doors were of wood，panelled and carved；the inner ones were plates of heavy steel，and in the lock that secured these latter doors were the keys that had so long been missing.Both were attached to a slender silver chain.
As Patsy peered in at the man West was engaged in deliberately examining packet after packet of papers，evidently striving to ？nd the missing stock certi？cates.He was in no hurry，believing he would have the house to himself for several hours；so he tumbled Captain Wegg's souvenirs of foreign lands in a heap on the ？oor beside him，thrusting his hand into every corner of the cupboard in order that the search might be thorough.He had once before examined the place in vain；this time he intended to succeed.
Presently West drew a cigar from his pocket，lighted it，and was about to throw the match upon the floor when the thought that it might later betray his presence made him pause and then walk to the open window.As he approached，Patsy became panic—stricken and，well knowing that she ought to run or hide，stood rooted to the spota，gazing half appealingly and half de？antly into the startled eyes of the man who suddenly confronted her.
So for a moment they stood motionless.West was thinking rapidly.By some error be had miscounted the picnic partyand this girl had been left at home.She had discovered his intrusion，had seen him at the cupboard，and would report the matter to John Merrick.This being the case，it would do him no good to retreat without accomplishing his purpose.If once he secured the stock certi？cates he could afford to laugh at his accusers，and secure them he must while he had the opportunity.
So clearly did these thoughts follow one another that West's hesitation seemed only momentary.Without a word to the girl he tossed the match upon the grass，calmly turned hisback，and started for the cupboard again.
