unate that no one
supposed he had any money to put in the bank.

"If it was anybody but Caleb, I should almost suspect he took that
ninety dollars," said Seth, after a while.

"Don't--don't think it," exclaimed his mother; "we know Caleb too well
for that."

"O, no, no, no!" cried little Willy. "Caleb is going to give me some
rabbits. Caleb carries me pickaback; do you s'pose he'd steal?"

They all laughed at that; it was a little boy's reasoning.

When Caleb came home that night, and was asked why he had been gone so
long, he blushed, and, as Seth thought, looked guilty. He did not say he
had put any money in the bank, and did not even mention having been at
Harlow at all. Nobody could think why he should make such a secret of
going to Harlow, for Caleb was a great talker, and usually told all his
affairs to everybody.

"Father has lost ninety dollars, Caleb," said Seth, looking him straight
in the eye; "who do you suppose has got it?"

"Where? When?" cried Caleb; and then, when he had heard the story, he
turned quite pale, and declared he was "'palled." When Caleb was greatly
amazed, he said he was "'palled."

It was very uncomfortable at Mr. Parlin's for a few days. Nobody liked
to believe that Caleb had taken the money, but it did really seem very
much like it. Mrs. Parlin said she could not and would not believe it,
and she even shed tears when she saw her husband and sons treat Caleb so
coldly.

Poor Caleb! Whether he was guilty or not, he was certainly very unhappy.

"Willy," said he, "what made you tell your father I said I wanted his
money? I never made such a speech in my life?"

"O, yes, you did, Caleb! Certain true you did! And I a sitting on your
knee. But you wouldn't steal, Cale Cushing, and I telled my papa you
wouldn't."

"Willy," said Caleb, sadly, "I don't think you mean to tell a lie, but
what you are talking about I don't know. I never stole so much as a pin
in my life; yet all the same I must go away from this place. I can't
stay where everybody is pointing the finger at me."

"Who pointed a finger at you, Caleb? I didn't see 'em."

Caleb smiled a broken-hearted smile, kissed Willy over and over again,
and went away that night, no one knew whither. He said to himself,--

"Honor gone, all's gone;
Better never have been born."

Was he guilty? Who could tell? Was he innocent? Then you may be sure God
would make it clear some time. Caleb would only have to wait.

CHA