t must have been taken
after the return of some of the boys for he was the last one himself who
left the room at noon; and he therefore determined to take prompt
measures to find out who was the guilty one. He had no suspicion of any
one, for there was not a pupil in the school who for a moment he would
have believed capable of such an act. He ordered perfect silence in the
room and in as few words as possible explained what had happened;
desiring if any one present possessed the least knowledge of the matter
they would at once make it known to him; saying at the same time, if any
boy had been tempted to take the money, if he would then come forward,
and own the theft, and give up the bill, he would forgive him and the
matter should go no further. Mr. Oswald granted us fifteen minutes, in
which to reveal any thing we might know concerning the affair. A pin
might have been heard to fall in the room during those fifteen minutes,
and seeing that nothing was to be learned in that way Mr. Oswald rose
and stepping from his desk said, "a duty is before me and it must be
performed, no matter how unpleasant it may be, but this matter must not
rest as it is. If you are all innocent you need not fear, but I shall
certainly take the liberty of searching the pockets of every boy in this
room, for, if any boy took that money, he has it now." Assisted by Mr.
Lawrence he proceeded to search the pockets of each boy, keeping a sharp
watch that no one had a chance to make way with the money if he had it
in his possession. The boys were very willing their pockets should be
searched, and none more so than I, who was anxious that even a shadow of
suspicion should be removed from me.

It happened to be Mr. Oswald himself who examined my pockets, and,
uttering an exclamation of surprise, almost of horror, he turned deadly
pale, for with his own hand he drew from my vest pocket the missing
bill. Had a bomb-shell burst in the school room the shock would not
have been more unexpected than was occasioned by this discovery. My
countenance must have expressed unbounded astonishment and dismay, but
certainly not guilt. With a face of deep sorrow, and a voice tremulous
with emotion, Mr. Oswald exclaimed: "Can it be possible! Walter Harland,
that this is true? That you whom I would have trusted with uncounted
gold have been led to commit this act. Would that the case admitted
even of a doubt, but with my own hand I have taken from your pocket what
I kn