ARTHUR'S LETTER.
THE letter to which Mr. Irvington referred, was one Arthur wrote
immediately on his return home after overhearing Willie's talk with his
father. It was this:
"DEAR WILLIE:
"If you were not in trouble, I should not take the liberty to write
you. But since I saw you to-night in the office with Mr. Munger, when
the gas shone for a minute full on your pale, anxious face, I have not
been able to forget you, no, not for a moment.
"Dear Willie, I am only a poor child whom your dear mother saved from
the streets, and perhaps you will turn away from these few lines; but
I have promised my Saviour I would follow his example, and do all the
good I could, especially to people in trouble, as you are. I do not ask
what is the cause of your sorrow and of your parents' grief. I have
seen your mother growing more pale, and your father's lip quivering,
when your name was mentioned. But oh, dear Willie, I do ask and beg of
you to have no concealment from them. Who can feel such an interest in
you, as your dear father and mother? And Willie, why will you not go to
God with your troubles?
"If you have yielded to temptation, and done what you ought not,
confess it to Him. When he sees your sorrow of heart, he will forgive
you. I have only one word more to say, and it gives me pain to say it.
Do not trust much to Mr. Munger, I fear he is not a good man. I cannot
tell you what I know of him, but do be careful, and for your mother's
sake, who was so good to me, forgive me for writing this.
"ARTHUR THOMPSON."
The thief who secured the ten thousand dollars, for several months
escaped detection. At last, a notice came from one of the banks that
a young man had made an effort to change a five-hundred-dollar bill,
one of the numbers which had been stolen. These numbers had been
fortunately obtained from Dixon and lodged at the different banks of
the city. The cashier had managed, under plea of not having that amount
of small bills, to detain the young man and begged that some one from
Mr. Irvington's office would come and identify him.
It was with mixed feelings of joy and sorrow that Arthur accompanied
Mr. Ross to the bank. As they entered, a youth dressed out in gaudy
colors pulled down his hat and tried to escape from the room, but he
fell into the hands of an officer whom Mr. Ross had stationed at the
door.
It was indeed Joseph, but so changed in three months that his old
companion was obliged to scrutinize him closely before he recognized
him. His face was haggard and his eyes sunken from dissipation, his own
hair was cut close to his head and over it he wore a flaxen-colored
wig. When he found his crime was known, he gave up all but four hundred
dollars of the ten thousand he had stolen; the remainder being in such
large bills, he had not ventured to change them.
He scowled darkly at Arthur and with his clenched fist muttered, "I
hate you," as the policeman led him away to jail.