THE TABLES ARE TURNED.
"I shall soon be able to prove it," said Mr. Drummond. "The lady who
bought the shawl came into the store half an hour since, and asked for
another. When I told her that it would cost ten dollars, she said she
only paid five for the one she had on. She then told us that she bought
it of you a fortnight since."
"How did she know my name?"
"She did not mention your name. She said that it was a boy she bought it
of, and of course that can only be you."
"There is some mistake about this, Mr. Drummond. She has made a mistake.
She must have bought it somewhere else."
"She would not be likely to make such a mistake as this. Besides, the
shawl is like others I have. How do you account for that?" queried Mr.
Drummond, triumphantly.
"I don't pretend to account for it, and don't feel called upon to do so.
All I have got to say is, that I did not sell the shawl, nor pocket the
money."
"I shouldn't be surprised if you had the money about you at this very
moment."
"You are mistaken," said Walter, firmly.
"Show me your pocket-book."
"My pocket-book is my own property."
"You are afraid to show it. Observe that, Mr. Nichols. Does not that
look like guilt?"
"I am willing to show it to Mr. Nichols," said Walter.
He took it from his pocket, and handed it to Nichols, who took it rather
unwillingly.
"Open that pocket-book, Mr. Nichols, and show me what is in it."
"Shall I do so, Walter?" asked Nichols.
"Yes, Mr. Nichols. There is nothing in it that I am ashamed of."
Nichols opened the pocket-book and took out three bills.
"What are those bills, Mr. Nichols?" asked his employer.
"There is a one, here is a two, and here is--" Nichols hesitated and
looked disturbed--"here is a five."
Mr. Drummond's mean face was radiant with exultation.
"I told you so. I think we need no further proof. The stolen money has
been found in Conrad's possession, and his falsehood and dishonesty are
clearly proved. Hand me that five."
"Stop a minute, Mr. Drummond," said Walter, coolly. "You are altogether
too much in a hurry. You have proved nothing whatever. That five-dollar
bill I brought from home with me, and I have kept it ever since, having
no occasion to spend it."
"Do you think I will believe any such story?" asked his employer, with a
sneer. "That is very plausible, Conrad, but very improbable. I have no
doubt whatever that the bill is the same one which was paid you for the
shawl."
"Then you are entirely mistaken."
"That remains to be seen. Mr. Nichols, I will relieve you of that
pocket-book. As the shawl should have been sold for ten dollars, the
entire contents will not be sufficient to pay for the loss I have
sustained."
"Mr. Nichols," said Walter, "I forbid your giving that pocket-book to
Mr. Drummond. He has no claim to it whatever. You may give it to me."
"I forbid you giving it to Conrad," broke in his employer.
"I don't know what to do," said Nichols, perplexed, looking from one to
the other.
"You know that it belongs to me, Mr. Nichols," said Walter.
"I--I think I had better lay it down on the counter," said Nichols, by
the way of compromise.
Walter, who was on the outside, sprang to the counter, and seized it
just in time to prevent Mr. Drummond's obtaining it. The latter was very
angry at his want of success, and exclaimed violently, "Walter Conrad,
give me that pocket-book instantly."
Walter, who had put it in an inside pocket of his coat, coolly buttoned
the coat and answered, "If you had any claim to it, Mr. Drummond, you
would not have to speak twice; but as it is mine, I prefer to keep it."
Mr. Drummond, though he had an irritable, aggravating temper, was not
one to proceed to violence on ordinary occasions. But just now he was
thoroughly provoked, and showed it. He sprang over the counter with an
agility worthy of his youth, and advanced threateningly upon Walter.
"Walter Conrad," he exclaimed furiously, "how dare you defy me in this
outrageous manner? Do you know that I can have you arrested; but in
consideration of your being a relation, I may be induced to spare you
the penalty of the law if you will give me what money you have towards
making up my loss."
"So I would, if the loss had come through me. But I have already told
you that this is not the case. I know nothing whatever about the shawl."
"And this," said Mr. Drummond, folding his arms, "this is the viper that
I have warmed in my bosom. This is the friendless orphan that I admitted
beneath my roof, and made a companion of my son. This is the ungrateful
serpent who has crept into my confidence, and abused it!"
Mr. Drummond was an orator on a small scale, and the pleasure of giving
utterance to this scathing denunciation caused him to delay his
intention to obtain possession of the pocket-book by violence.
Walter ought to have been withered by this outburst of righteous anger,
but he wasn't. He stood it very well, and did not seem in the least
affected.
"Behold his hardened effrontery, Mr. Nichols," pursued Mr. Drummond,
unfolding his arms, and pointing at our hero with quivering fore-finger.
"I could not have believed that a boy of his years could be so brazen."
"Mr. Drummond," said Walter, "I am sustained by a consciousness of my
innocence, and therefore what you say has no effect upon me. It doesn't
seem to be very just to convict me without evidence, and sentence me
without trial."
"Will you give up that pocket-book?" demanded Mr. Drummond, furiously,
having indulged in his little flight of oratory, and being now ready to
proceed to business.
"No, sir, I will not," returned Walter, looking him firmly in the face.
Mr. Drummond made a dash for him, but Walter was used to dodging, and,
eluding his grasp, ran behind the counter.
"Mr. Nichols, help me to catch him," said Mr. Drummond, quite red in the
face.
But Nichols did not show any great readiness to obey. He let Walter pass
him, and did not make the least effort to retain him.
Mr. Drummond was making ready to jump over the counter, when Nichols, to
his great relief, observed the ladies, already referred to, coming up
the steps from the street.
"Mr. Drummond, the ladies have returned," he said hastily.
"Aha!" said his employer, with exultation. "Now we will be able to prove
your guilt, you young rascal! Here is the lady who bought the shawl of
you."
Mrs. Blake and her friend, Mrs. Spicer, here entered the store.
Mr. Drummond went forward to meet them. His face was flushed, but he
tried to look composed.
"I am glad to see you back, ladies," he said. "You told me that you
bought your shawl of a boy?" turning to Mrs. Blake.
"Yes, sir."
"Come forward, Conrad," said Mr. Drummond, a malignant smile
overspreading his face. "Perhaps you will deny now, to this lady's face,
that you sold her the shawl she has on."
"I certainly do," said Walter. "I never, to my knowledge, saw the lady
before, and I know that I did not sell her the shawl."
"What do you think of that, Mr. Nichols?" said Mr. Drummond. "Did you
ever witness such unblushing falsehood?"
But here a shell was thrown into Mr. Drummond's camp, and by Mrs. Blake
herself.
"The boy is perfectly right," she said. "I did not buy the shawl of
him."
"WHAT!" stammered Mr. Drummond.
Mrs. Blake repeated her statement.
"Didn't you say you bought the shawl of the boy?" asked Mr. Drummond,
with a sickly hue of disappointment overspreading his face.
"Yes, but it was not that boy."
"That is the only boy I have in my employment."
"Come to think of it, I believe it was your son," said Mrs. Blake.
"Isn't he a little older than this boy?"
"My son,--Joshua!" exclaimed Mr. Drummond.
"Yes, I think it must be he. He's got rather an old-looking face, with
freckles and reddish hair; isn't so good-looking as this boy."
"Joshua!" repeated Mr. Drummond, bewildered. "He doesn't tend in the
store."
"It was about dinner-time," said Mrs. Blake. "He was the only one here."
"Do you know anything about this, Mr. Nichols?" asked Mr. Drummond,
turning to his head clerk.
Light had dawned upon Nichols. He remembered now Joshua's offer to take
his place, and he felt sure in his own mind who was the guilty party.
"Yes, Mr. Drummond," he answered; "about a fortnight ago, as Walter was
rather late in getting back, Joshua offered to stay in the store for a
while. He must have sold the shawl, but he must have guessed at the
price."
"A mistake has been made," said Mr. Drummond, hurriedly, to the
ladies,--"a mistake that you have profited by. I shall not be able to
sell you another shawl for less than ten dollars."
The ladies went out, and Mr. Drummond and his two clerks were left
alone.
"Mr. Drummond," said Walter, quietly, "after what has happened, you will
not be surprised if I decline to remain in your employ. I shall take the
afternoon train to Willoughby."
He walked out of the store, and crossed the street to Mr. Drummond's
house.