le you spoke of, around you. You know the pain and suspense
you have borne have almost driven you insane, and it was because you
cared so deeply. Now lie still, and keep quiet! All of us are tired
and there's no sense in making us go through this again, besides the
risk of crippling yourself that you run. Right here in this house are
the papers to prove that your nephew took your money, and hid it in
your son's clothing, as he already had done a hundred lesser things,
before, purposely to estrange you. Hold steady! You must hear this!
The sooner you know it, the better you'll feel. You remember, don't
you, that before your nephew entered your home, you idolized your son.
You thought the things he did were amusing. A boy is a boy, and if
he's alive, he's very apt to be lively. Mother could tell you a few
pranks that Leon has put us through; but they're only a boy's
foolishness, they are not unusual or unforgivable. I've gone over the
evidence your son brings, with extreme care, so has father. Both of us
are quite familiar with common law. He has every proof you can
possibly desire. You can't get around it, even if your heart wasn't
worn out with rebellion, and you were not crazy to have the loving
sympathy of your family again."

"I don't believe a word of it!"

"You have got to! I tell you it is PROOF, man! The documents are in
this house now."

"He forged them, or stole them, as he took the money!"

Laddie just laughed.

"How you do long, and fight, to be convinced!" he said. "I don't blame
you! When anything means this much, of course you must be sure. But
you'll know your nephew's signature; also your lawyer's. You'll know
letters from old friends who are above question. Sandy McSheel has
written you that he was with Robert through all of it, and he gives you
his word that everything is all right. You will believe him, won't
you?"

Big tears began to squeeze from under Mr. Pryor's lids, until Laddie
and the Princess each tried to see how much of him they could hold to
keep him together-like.

"Tell me!" he said at last, so they took turns explaining everything
plain as day, and soon he listened without being held.

When they had told him everything they could think of, he asked: "Did
Robert kill Emmet?"

"I am very happy to be able to tell you that he did not. It would have
been painful, and not helped a bad matter a particle. Your nephew had
dissipated until he was only a skeleton