“I–don’t–understand–you, sir,” gasped Dawkins, who understood only too well.
“You met a man at the door of a low tavern in–Street, last evening, to whom you paid one hundred and fifty dollars, precisely the sum which I lost yesterday.”
“Who has been slandering me, sir?” asked Dawkins, very pale.
“An eye-witness of the meeting, who heard the conversation between you. If you want more satisfactory proof, here it is.”
Mr. Danforth took from his pocket-book the torn fragments of the note which Dawkins had given to Duval.
“Here is an obligation to pay a certain Duval the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars. It bears your signature. How you could have incurred such a debt to him you best know.”
Dawkins maintained a sullen silence.
“I suppose you wish me to leave your employment,” he said at length.
“You are right. Hold,” he added, as Dawkins was about leaving the room, “a word more. It is only just that you should make a restitution of the sum which you have taken. If you belonged to a poor family and there were extenuating circumstances, I might forego my claim. But your father is abundantly able to make good the loss, and I shall require you to lay the matter before him without loss of time. In consideration of your youth, I shall not bring the matter before the public tribunals, as I have a right to do.”
Dawkins turned pale at this allusion, and muttering some words to the effect that he would do what he could, left the counting-room.
This threat proved not to be without its effect. The next day he came to Mr. Danforth and brought the sum for which he had become responsible. He had represented to his father that he had had his pocket picked of this sum belonging to Mr. Danforth, and in that manner obtained an equal amount to replace it. It was some time before Mr. Dawkins learned the truth. Then came a storm of reproaches in which all the bitterness of his father’s nature was fully exhibited. There had never been much love between father and son. Henceforth there was open hatred.
We must return to Paul, whom we left in much trouble.
It was a sad walk which he took homeward on the morning of his dismissal.
“What brings you home so early?” asked Mrs. Cameron, looking up from her baking, as Paul entered.
Paul tried to explain, but tears came to his eyes, and sobs choked his utterance.
“Are you sick, Paul?” exclaimed Mrs. Cameron, in alarm.
“No, Aunt Hester.”
“Then what is the matter?” she asked anxiously.
“I have lost my place.”
“Poor boy! I am very sorry to hear it. But it might have been worse.”
“No, not very well, Aunt Hester, for Mr. Danforth thinks I have taken some of his money.”
“He is very unjust!” exclaimed Aunt Hester, indignantly, “he ought to have known better than to think you would steal.”
“Why, no,” said Paul, candidly, “I must confess the evidence was against me, and he doesn’t know me as well as you do, Aunt Hester.”
“Tell me all about it, Paul.”
Aunt Hester sat down and listened attentively to our hero’s story.
“How do you account for the money being found in your pocket?” she asked at length.
“I think it must have been put there by some one else.”
“Have you any suspicions?”
“Yes,” said Paul, a little reluctantly, “but I don’t know whether I ought to have. I may be wronging an innocent person.”
“At any rate it won’t do any harm to tell me.”
“You’ve heard me speak of George Dawkins?”
“Yes.”
“I can’t help thinking that he put the fifty dollars into my pocket, and took the rest himself.”
“How very wicked he must be!” exclaimed Mrs. Cameron, indignantly.
“Don’t judge him too hastily; Aunt Hester, he may not be guilty, and I know from my own experience how hard it is to be accused when you are innocent.”
Soon after the sexton came in, and Paul of course, told his story over again.
“Never mind, Paul,” said Uncle Hugh, cheerily. “You know your own innocence; that is the main thing. It’s a great thing to have a clear conscience.”