worse. So he said, in a humble and subdued tone:

"Fred, it's no use for us to quarrel about this. You know it is not
proper for you to go outside and tell your employer's business, and----"

"I know it is not, and I would only do so to defend myself; but when you
threaten to keep my money, and to have me arrested, then I will show
what kind of a man is trying to take advantage of me."

"Very well, then, if I pay you your money, you will say nothing about
the business of this store, I suppose?"

"No, I will say nothing about what I have just mentioned, unless I
should be put on trial; then, of course, I should be obliged to
testify."

"You will not be put on trial. I take you at your word--your word of
honor," added the merchant impressively.

"Yes, my word of honor!" repeated Fred, "and that means that your
secrets are safe."

The wily Rexford had now gained his point--Fred's promise--and he
quickly changed front and cried:

"Well, there's your money--fifteen dollars--now consider yourself
discharged from my employ!"

"'Discharged,' did you say, sir?" ejaculated Fred, utterly taken aback
at this sudden turn of events.

"I said 'discharged,'" repeated the merchant, fidgeting about; "you know
what the word means, I presume?"

Fred did know what it meant. It meant more than Rexford's narrow spirit
could even comprehend. It meant disgrace, perhaps ruin.

Fred took the money, the few bills, the last he would earn in the old
store, and stood for a moment turning them over listlessly--evidently
not counting them, but as if to aid him in solving the problem that
rested heavily upon his mind.

X

"Isn't the money all right?" asked the merchant, finally.

"Mr. Rexford," said Fred, not noticing the inquiry, "I want you to tell
me if I lost my place on account of that missing bill."

"That is exactly why," replied the merchant, "for I have always been
satisfied with your work. Had you never got into that drunken scrape,
though, I probably should not have thought so much of it, even if I
could see no way in which to account for the mystery."

Fred felt it a cruel injustice that he should be discharged and
disgraced simply on the suspicion of a crime of which he was, in fact,
entirely innocent: still he could see that the merchant had some grounds
for his distrust, for when a boy once gets a stain upon his character it
is almost impossible to utterly efface it. It may be forgotten for a
time, but if any