w how it happened, and how it could never happen again."

Christopher hid his face in his arms and the room became very silent.
The fire crackled cheerfully and strange shadows lived uncertain lives
on the ceiling. Aymer put the paper-knife down at last and looked at
his charge. He was aware it was a critical moment for them both: also
he was quite suddenly aware he was more fond of the child than he had
previously imagined. But mostly in his mind was the sickening
appreciation of what hours of torture that solitary silent woman must
have endured.

"Christopher, old boy, come here," he said quietly.

The boy got up. His face was flushed, hot with his efforts to control
himself.

"Do you want the light, Caesar?"

"No, I want you."

He came unwillingly and sat down on the edge of the sofa, playing with
a piece of string.

"You need not be frightened at all," said Aymer. "It is all utterly
impossible now, we both of us know that."

"I suppose so."

"You know it. You only did what Marley told you to do. You didn't
steal because you wanted money yourself."

But Christopher was doggedly truthful.

"Marley used to give me some for myself, Caesar, and I liked it and I
didn't think it was stealing. It was just keeping what one found."

"But you knew to whom it belonged."

"Not certain sure, Marley said."

"What did your mother say?"

"Just that it was stealing. She said, too, lots of people in the world
were thieves who didn't know, and Marley was no worse than many rich
men, who just knocked people down to get the best of them. What did
she mean, Caesar?"

"She thought it was as wrong for a rich man to take advantage of a
poor man, as for a strong man to attack a weak one, or a cunning man
to cheat a simpleton."

Christopher was conscious he had heard something like this before. He
nodded his small head sagely. Aymer went on.

"It really means you must never get money at someone else's expense.
If you can give them something in return, something equal, it's all
right, but it must be equal. That is what your mother believed, and I
do too--now."

Christopher regarded Caesar thoughtfully. He was speculating what he
did in return for the golden sovereigns that seemed so plentiful with
him.

"We try to give fair exchange," explained Caesar, answering his
thoughts. "The money comes to us out of the big world. And my father
gives the world good service in return. You will know how good,
some-day."

"Does