in great distress, "I have not the slightest
knowledge of how this bill came into my pocket. I hope you will believe
me, sir."

"How can I? The money evidently did not go into your pocket without
hands."

A sudden thought came to Paul. "Dawkins," said he, "did you put that
money into my pocket?"

"What do you mean, sir?" returned Dawkins, haughtily. "Is it your
intention to insult me?"

Dawkins could not prevent his face from flushing as he spoke, but this
might easily be referred to a natural resentment of the imputation cast
upon him.

"Paul," said his employer, coldly, "you will not help your own cause
by seeking to involve another. After what has happened you can hardly
expect me to retain you in my employment. I will not make public your
disgrace, nor will I inquire farther for the remainder of the money for
which you have been willing to barter your integrity. I will pay your
wages up to the end of this week, and----"

"Mr. Danforth," said Paul, manfully, though the tears almost choked his
utterance, "I am sorry that you have no better opinion of me. I do not
want the balance of my wages. If I have taken so large a sum which did
not belong to me, I have no claim to them. Good-morning, sir. Sometime I
hope you will think better of me."

Paul put on his coat, and taking his cap from the nail on which it hung,
bowed respectfully to his employer and left the office.

Mr. Danforth looked after him, and seemed perplexed. Could Paul be
guilty after all?

"I never could have suspected him if I had not this evidence in my
hand," said Mr. Danforth, to himself, fixing his eyes upon the bill
which he had drawn from Paul's overcoat.

"Dawkins, did you observe whether Paul remained long in the office?" he
asked.

"Longer than sufficient to lay the letters on the desk?"

"Yes, sir, I think he did."

"Did you notice whether he went to his overcoat after coming out?"

"Yes, sir, he did," said Dawkins, anxious to fix in Mr. Danforth's mind
the impression of Paul's guilt.

"Then I am afraid it is true," said his employer sadly. "And yet, what a
fine, manly boy he is too. But it is a terrible fault."

Mr. Danforth was essentially a kind-hearted man, and he cared much more
for Paul's dereliction from honesty than for the loss of the money.
Going home early to dinner, he communicated to his wife the unpleasant
discovery which he had made respecting Paul.

Now, from the first, Paul had been a great favorite with