so steady and reliable a
youth that already many matters of importance were intrusted to him. He
had seen Charlie Graham nourishing a check about, and had heard him
talking very largely of his plans, etc. He had also seen the valuable
bit of paper lying about, and had asked Charlie to pocket it; but he had
also seen some one else do that in a very quiet way, and it had so
peculiarly affected him that when Charlie asked him about it, he had
colored up violently, and was so confused, that had Charlie been of a
suspicious nature, he would have had good reason to suppose that Will
knew more about the affair than he cared to tell--which was the truth.
But Charlie was neither suspicious nor careful, and, in addition to
leaving the paper about, he had also indorsed it.

[Illustration: WILL CONSIDERS THE SITUATION.]

Will listened to the inquiries and the comments in silence, not knowing
what to say. Had he been very impulsive, he would have come out
instantly with his suspicions; but he had a habit of reflection, and was
inclined to consider before acting or speaking. At this moment, however,
his thoughts were confused, and finding that his writing was suffering
in consequence, he thrust his pen behind his ear, and sat down on a box
at the office door to see if he could not think himself out of his
difficulty.

He was quite sure that a theft had been committed, and that he had
witnessed it. What should he do?--tell Charlie Graham, have the man
arrested and sent to prison, as he deserved, or keep the matter quiet,
wait, and see how the thing would turn out?

As he sat there in the soft spring morning a little bird perched itself
on a budding bough, and began to chirp. As it turned its head from side
to side, and peeped coyly at him, it reminded him, by one of those
unconscious flights of association, of another bird, which hung in a
gilded cage very near the couch of his invalid mother. He could see the
little warbler doing his best to entertain the weary moments of one who
seldom heard the wild birds, or set her foot in the woods. He could also
see the soft draperies about the window, the climbing ivy and growing
ferns, and the much-used books and work-table, and from all these homely
but precious belongings came uppermost the sweet smile of affection, the
placid face which, in spite of age and sorrow and suffering, had always
so tender a beauty for him. Quickly he turned back to his desk, and
wrote a long letter to his m