as he remained silent for a minute.

"Yes, I did." He cleared his throat again. "Mrs. Nelson, where is your son
Ralph?"

"He has gone to the store on an errand for me. He will be back shortly."

"Mrs. Nelson, do you know that that boy is going to get both himself and
you into a good deal of trouble?" went on the great man, pompously.

"Oh, I hope not, squire," she cried, in alarm.

"If he keeps on, he will end in State prison!"

"Why, what has he done now?"

"I do not refer to any new action on his part. I refer to this post office
affair."

Mrs. Nelson breathed easier. For the moment she had feared some new
difficulty between Ralph and Percy.

"I thought that matter had passed," she said.

"Passed! I rather imagine not, madam!

"I mean so far as my son is concerned. They had him up for examination, and
he was honorably discharged."

"That committee of post office officials didn't know its business," growled
Squire Paget, wrathfully. "It was worse than a lot of old hens getting
together."

"That may be your opinion, squire. It is not the opinion of all the folks,
however."

"Madam, your son had something to do with that robbery!" ejaculated the
great man, springing to his feet. "He cannot fool me, no matter how much he
fools the other Westville people."

"Ralph had absolutely nothing to do with it!" returned the widow, warmly.
"You might as well say your own son was implicated."

"Nonsense! Does Ralph deny that he was seen on the streets of Westville
that night?"

"He went to Dr. Foley's for me. I was sick."

"Was he not seen right in front of the post office directly after the
explosion?"

"He had to pass the post office to get to Dr. Foley's."

"Of course," sneered Squire Paget. "But if he was innocent, why did he not
remain in the crowd instead of leaving in such a hurry inside of a minute
or two?"

"He was afraid I might get worse. Had I not been sick, he would have
remained, without a doubt."

"You don't look very sick now, madam," with another sneer.

"No, thanks to the plaster and the medicine Dr. Foley gave Ralph, I have
quite recovered again."

"Humph!" sniffed the great man, and drew up his lips.

"You do not believe that I was sick, do you?"

"It was a very accommodating sickness, to my mind."

"Why, what do you mean, squire?"

"It gave your son a good excuse to be abroad at that time of the night when
all honest folks are in bed."

"Squire, your words are nothing less