denly changed his tactics.

"I always mean to keep myself straight, sir," added Bobtail.

"Of course you do. But the best of us are sometimes tempted to do wrong.
If you have been led away, and--"

"I haven't been led away, sir."

"You may have made a mistake. If you opened that letter by accident or
otherwise--"

"I didn't open it by accident or otherwise. I didn't open it at all,"
interposed the boy, with energy.

"Hear what I have to say, Little Bobtail. The best of folks are
sometimes led away. Even ministers of the gospel once in a great while
do a wicked deed."

"I don't care if they do; I haven't opened your letter."

"But I'm only supposing a case."

"Well, sir, you needn't suppose I opened that letter, for I didn't."

"Suppose you had opened it--"

"I didn't."

"It is only an hypothesis."

"I don't care if it is; I didn't open the letter," persisted Bobtail,
who had not the least idea what an hypothesis was.

"If somebody else, then, had opened that letter, and taken out the
money. He might have been sorely tempted; he might have opened it by
accident," said the squire, in soft, oily tones.

"Somebody else _might_, but I _didn't_."

"If he don't feel bad about it now, he will, as sure as he lives, for
the truth will come out. Don't you think so?"

"I do think so."

"It will ruin his reputation, send him to the state prison, and spoil
his prospects forever. Now, don't you think it would be better for him
to give up the money, if I should say to him that I wouldn't mention the
matter?"

"I think he had better give it up, whether you mention it or not,"
answered Bobtail, more calmly.

"Then don't you think _you_ had better give it up?"

"I tell you again, I didn't open the letter, and haven't seen the
money," protested Bobtail, violently.

"You had better think it over."

"I don't want to think it over."

"You will have to go to jail if you don't."

"I can go to jail, but I can't give up what I haven't got, nor own up to
what I didn't do."

"The letter which you brought to my office that morning contained five
hundred dollars in one bill. It was my advance fee for defending the
Buckingham Bank robbers. Their friends raised the money; but only a
rogue would have sent it in cash. The letter is gone. It was last in
your hands. Now you had better think it all over, and you may stay here
and do so, while I talk with the gentleman in the other room." And the
squire opened the door.