e tell me you will try and find out the answer to this
distressing puzzle."

"I can easily promise you that I will at least do my level best to
learn where your property went, Mrs. Pangborn; and if possible recover
it for you," he hastened to assure her.

"Thank you very much, my son. As soon as I saw you I seemed to feel an
inspiration that Providence had sent you to me in my distress. For it
would break my heart if I were compelled to have that poor, weak boy
arrested, and charged with so grievous a breach of the law. You being
a boy may be able to have a certain amount of influence over him. You
may even induce him to own up to his act, and send me back my precious
spoons. The ones taken by some accident are the very ones I value
most."

"While I give you my promise willingly enough, ma'am," Hugh went on to
say deliberately, "I want to add that I can't believe it possible Owen
Dugdale could be so small and mean as to yield to an impulse, and take
anything that belonged to another."

"That is splendid of you, Hugh!" she cried, her black eyes sparkling
with genuine admiration. "I love a boy who has faith in his fellows,
and thinks the best of them, no matter how circumstantial evidence may
seem to blacken their characters. And my son, if only you can find an
explanation of this puzzle that will exonerate your young companion, I
shall be very happy indeed. A great load will have been removed from
my poor old heart. I would rather lose the entire twelve spoons than
learn that Owen Dugdale were guilty."

"Then you will not say a word of this to any one," he continued,
"particularly Chief Wambold, who everybody knows has a great itching to
shine as a wonderful sleuth, but makes himself only ridiculous whenever
he tries to unearth any uncommon happening?"

"I gladly give you my promise to keep silent, Hugh," she assured him,
holding out her withered hand, resplendant with lovely gems, diamonds,
rubies and pearls, for like most French women, the Madame was more than
commonly fond of jewelry. "And from what you say, as well as your
mentioning the boy's name before I spoke it, I assume that you know
Owen Dugdale?"

"I have latterly become greatly interested in him, ma'am, and we have
been much together," he told her simply. "Since I pride myself on
being something of a reader of human nature, I feel almost certain that
there must be a great mistake somewhere; and that when the truth is
discovered, you and I