a man of your age and good sense----"

"Thank you for that admission, Lavinia," said Mr. Carter mockingly. "Go
on."

"I was about to say that you seem infatuated with this boy, of whom we
know nothing, except from his own account. To my mind his story is a
most ridiculous invention."

"Mr. Pitkin, did any one enter your store just after Philip left it to
inquire after him?"

"No, sir," answered Pitkin triumphantly. "That's a lie, at any rate."

"You will remember that Philip did not make the assertion himself. This
was the statement of the thief who robbed him."

"Yes, of course," sneered Pitkin. "He told his story very shrewdly."

"Mr. Carter," said Philip, "I can show you or any one else the house in
which I was confined in Bleecker Street, and there will be no trouble in
obtaining proof of the fire."

"I dare say there may have been such a fire," said Mr. Pitkin, "and you
may have happened to see it, and decided to weave it into your story."

"Do you think I stole the money or used it for my own purpose?" asked
Philip pointedly.

Mr. Pitkin shrugged his shoulders.

"Young man," he said, "upon this point I can only say that your story is
grossly improbable. It won't hold water."

"Permit me to judge of that, Mr. Pitkin," said Mr. Carter. "I wish to
ask YOU one question."

"To ask ME a question!" said Pitkin, surprised.

"Yes; why did you pay Philip in bills to-day? Why didn't you give him a
check, as usual?"

"Why," answered Pitkin, hesitating, "I thought it wouldn't make any
difference to you. I thought you would be able to use it more readily."

"Did you suppose I would specially need to use money instead of a check
this week? Why break over your usual custom?"

"Really, I didn't give much thought to the matter," answered Pitkin,
hesitating. "I acted on a sudden impulse."

"Your impulse has cost me two hundred dollars. Do me the favor, when
Philip calls next week, to hand him a check."

"You mean to retain him in your employ after this?" asked Mrs. Pitkin
sharply.

"Yes, I do. Why shouldn't I?"

"You are very trustful," observed the lady, tossing her head. "If this
had happened to Lonny here, we should never have heard the last of it."

"Perhaps not!" responded the old gentleman dryly. "When a young
gentleman is trusted with a letter to mail containing money, and that
letter never reaches its destination, it may at least be inferred that
he is careless."

It will be remembered that thi