human
Iris, he said,
gpt
How do you know, Arnold?
human
The stupid fellow who stole and opened the packet no doubt thought he was wonderfully clever to fill it up again with paper. But he forgot that the packet has been lying for eighteen years in the safe, and that this note-paper was made the day before yesterday.
gpt
How do you know that?
human
You can tell by the look and feel of the paper; they did not make paper like this twenty years ago; besides, look at the water-mark; he held it to the light, and Iris read the mystic words.
gpt
That is the fashion of to-day. One house issues a new kind of paper, with a fancy name, and another imitates them. To-morrow, I will ascertain exactly when this paper was made.
human
But who would steal it, Arnold? Who could steal it?
gpt
It would not probably be of the least use to any one. But it might be stolen in order to sell it back. We may see an advertisement carefully worded, guarded, or perhaps--Iris, who had access to the place, when your grandfather was out?
human
No one but James, the shopman. He has been here five-and-twenty years. He would not, surely, rob his old master. No one else comes here except the customers and Cousin Joe.
gpt
Joe is not, I believe, quite--
human
Joe is a very bad man. He has done dreadful things. But then, even if Joe were bad enough to rob the safe, how could he get at it? My grandfather never leaves it unlocked. Oh, Arnold, Arnold, that all this trouble should fall upon us on the very day--
gpt
My dear, is it not better that it should fall upon you when I am here, one more added to your advisers? If you have lost a fortune, I have found one. Think that you have given it to me.
human
Oh, the fortune may go, she said.
gpt
The future is ours, and we are young. But who shall console my grandfather in his old age for his bankruptcy?
human
As the stream, said Lala Roy,