ain to see she had
something to tell that was of great importance.

CHAPTER VI.

MRS. NELSON'S STORY.

"What is it, mother?" cried Ralph, as Mrs. Nelson placed her basket on the
floor and dropped into a chair.

"Oh, Ralph! I can hardly believe it possible!" exclaimed the good woman,
catching her breath.

"Believe what possible?"

"That Percy Paget would be so wicked!"

"Why, what has he done, now, mother?"

"Ralph, I believe he took your twenty-dollar bill!"

"What makes you think that?"

And in his excitement the boy shoved back his books and slate and sprang to
his feet.

"From what I overheard down to Mr. Dicks' store, while I was doing my
trading."

"What did you overhear?"

"His son William waited on me, and while he was doing it his father began
to count the money in the drawer, and then asked who had paid in the
twenty-dollar bill."

"And what did Will Dicks say?" questioned Ralph, eagerly.

"He said he had got the bill from Percy Paget."

"He did! It must be my bill."

"So I thought, and came home as quickly as I could to tell you."

"Percy has lots of spending money, but I doubt if he has twenty dollars at
a time," went on Ralph, walking up and down the sitting-room in his
thoughtfulness. "But to think he would turn pickpocket!"

"Maybe the money fell from your pocket during the quarrel, and he picked it
up."

"It would be just as bad as stealing. He knew it was my money. He saw me
put the money in my pocket when he came on the bridge."

"It would certainly seem that it was your bill."

"I'll go down and question Will Dicks about it. Or, perhaps, you did so?"

"No, I only listened to what he told his father, and then came home. If you
go down, Ralph, be careful and avoid more trouble."

"If it is really my bill I am not going to stand being cheated."

"Remember, Squire Paget is an influential man----"

"I don't believe his influence will count in this case. But I will be
careful," Ralph added, to overcome his mother's anxiety.

Without further words, he put on his coat and hurried down into the
village. When he reached Uriah Dicks' general store he found father and son
in the act of putting up the shutters for the night.

"I would like to see you a minute, Will," Ralph said to the son.

"All right," returned Will Dicks, and, leaving his father to place the last
of the shutters up, he led the way inside the store.

"I believe Percy Paget paid you a twenty-dollar bil