"

"Did he appear to miss anything from it?"

"No, sir."

"Do you believe, Hopgood, that there was anything missing from it?"

The janitor shrank like a man subjected to the torture. He fixed his
glance on Mr. Sylvester's face and his own gradually lightened.

"No sir!" said he at last, with a gasp that made the little one lift her
curly head from her pillow and shake it with a slow and wistful motion
strange to see in a child of only two years.

The proud man bowed, not with the severity however that might have been
expected; indeed his manner was strangely shadowed, and though his lip
betrayed no uneasiness and his eye neither faltered or fell, there was a
vague expression of awe upon his countenance, which it would take more
than the simple understanding of the worthy but not over subtle man
before him, to detect much less to comprehend.

"You may be sure that Mr. Stuyvesant will never complain of any one
having tampered with his effects while you are the guardian of the
vaults," exclaimed Mr. Sylvester in clear ringing tones. "As for his box
being open, it is right that I should explain that it was the result of
a mistake. I had occasion to go to a box of my own in a hurry that
morning, and misled by the darkness and my own nervousness perhaps, took
up his instead of my own. Not till I had opened it--with the tooth-pick,
Hopgood, for I had been to a reception and did not have my keys with
me--did I notice my mistake. I had intended to explain the matter to Mr.
Stuyvesant, but you know what happened that day, and since then I have
thought nothing of it."

The janitor's face cleared to its natural expression. "You are very
kind, sir, to explain yourself to me," said he; "it was not necessary."
But his lightened face spoke volumes. "I have been on the police force
and I know how to hold my tongue when it is my duty, but it is very hard
work when the duty is on the other side. Have you any commands for me?"

Mr. Sylvester shook his head, and his eye roamed over the humble
furniture and scanty comforts of this poor man's domicile. Hopgood
thought he might be going to offer him some gift or guerdon, and in a
low distressed tone spoke up:

"I shall not try to ask your pardon, sir, for anything I have said.
Honesty that is afraid to show itself, is no honesty for me. I could not
meet your eye, knowing that I was aware of any circumstance of which you
supposed me ignorant. What I know, you must know, as long as I