but as for John, the darkness of midnight might as well have lain over everything; he was now intent on one purpose only. Who did it? How can I find him out? What will become of me? It was some time before either of the boys spoke. At length Ned said, 'Who do you suspect, John ?'

'Caleb Short and Jerry Mann.'

'Why do you suspect them?'

Now came a long story of what hitherto Ned had been ignorant; but the time had come to speak, and he heard with much surprise of Caleb and Jerry's attack on the drawer, of John's defence of it, of Mr. Jenkins's suspicions, and of the result of the whole. This was an entirely new light on the subject; and John, who had watched him through the whole recital with a jealous eye, saw the troubled look which shaded his face.

'If they did it,' he said, after a few minutes' silence, we shall have very hard work to prove it on them. Why don't you tell Mr. Jenkins all about it?

now,

'Because what was mean to do then is mean to do and it's terrible to suspect a boy who is innocent; but if they did it, they did it to ruin me, and they will,' said John, with a stifled groan.

'Don't you be afraid; God will take care of you,' said Ned solemnly. May I tell Mr. Jenkins whom we suspect, without saying anything about that time?'

'No,' said John, sharply; 'I've known it all along; I've been sure they would do something.'

'That is the reason he sent the stick on the ice ? ' asked Ned, interrupting him.

'Yes; I knew it then, and I've been watching them ever since; I knew, the very first chance they got, they would take it. What a fool I was to leave this back door open! I've locked it myself every night since, until last night, and unlocked it first thing in the morning, so Mr. Jenkins need not suspect; but last night that factory put it all out of my head, and they 've done it, and me too.'

'I don't see how they can hurt you. Mr. Jenkins knows you are innocent.'

'He tries to think co,' said John gloomily; 'but way down in his heart he remembers the drawer, and how he locked it. He wouldn't have thought of it again if this hadn't happened, and you don't suppose Mr. Trowbridge is going to have a boy there who is a thief, do you, Ned Randall? I can tell you he isn't. I shall get my walkingticket to-morrow, and that ends me.'

'Pooh! nonsense, John Gray; Mr. Trowbridge will believe what Mr. Jenkins says about you.'

'No, he won't; for Mr. Jenkins has got the drawer business behind all, and if he pushes him hard, he will own it; you see if he doesn't. It's no use, it's all over.'

'You are a faint-hearted fellow,' said Ned, but without the confidence with which he had spoken before; his good sense told him at once that appearances were very much against John. 'Why don't you try to keep up? '

'Because it's no use, I tell you; we shan't catch them, they are too cunning for us; and it will come on me. Now let us go; there is no good sitting in the dark any longer.

I want to go and hear the water break against that big wheel before they order me off the premises.'

How gloomily John looked as the last rays of twilight fell upon him. Ned could not forget his face as he went home and even after he had shut his eyes to sleep, visions of the broken-spirited boy came gliding before him in his dreams.

CHAPTER XI.

HOPES BLIGHTED.

SHORT time after the theft had been committed, Mr. Trowbridge called to Mr. Jenkins, as he was passing his factory, and asked him if he could have a few minutes' conversation with him alone. Mr. Jenkins went in; he had been expecting and dreading this meeting. He had already learned enough of Mr. Trowbridge's business habits to know he was not going to take into his employment any person upon whose honesty there rested the shadow of a suspicion; and as the days had passed without any light being thrown upon the robbery, he felt sure he should have inquiries made of him, which it would not be either pleasant or easy to answer; but one thing he had determined: if pressed, to tell Mr. Trowbridge the doubts which he had entertained of John's honesty for a short time; how he had acted, and why he had done so; and if the thought crossed his mind that Mr. Trowbridge would think him very credulous and foolish, it mattered little to him, for he felt more and more sure that he had done right.

Mr. Trowbridge did wish to make particular inquiries

respecting the boys. His own business life and shrewdness led him strongly to suspect the money had been taken by one of them; and now he wished to know if there had ever been anything in either which would justify his suspicion; and he asked directly.

Mr. Jenkins replied as directly. Nor was he at all surprised, when his story was ended, to hear Mr. Trowbridge say with a smile,

Your kind heart has come very near leading you or me, or both of us, into a great error. Mr. Jenkins, I cannot see any reason to doubt that that money is this very moment in John Gray's possession. Have you had him searched?'

'Wouldn't do it for ten times the sum, Mr. Trowbridge;' and Mr. Jenkins brought down his heavy hand with a noise which made the other start. 'I should have the blood of the boy's soul on my head. He is as innocent as you or I, and if we never find it out before, we shall both of us at the great judgment-day.'

'Mr. Jenkins, don't be too certain; it is a mistaken kindness on your part. If I had taken that boy, and he committed a great offence, in my judgment you would have been in a measure to blame for it. I should have trusted him on your recommendation implicitly, and he would have been in places where he would have ruined himself for this world and the next. If you take my advice; you will call in a magistrate, and have him searched before the hour is past. I must say, I wonder at you.'

'The Lord be my judge,' said Mr. Jenkins solemnly, but I will do no such thing; and if you are a man, Mr.

K