tory was only hinted at, and the
letter was altogether so vague and indefinite, that it might well seem
mysterious to Philip.

"Can you make it out?" Philip asked.

"I know what he means, though perhaps I should not have found it out
from this. Your father will tell you, or Mr Caldwell."

"All right! Fire away, and the sooner the better, for I am tired. If I
can help you out of the scrape, I will."

"That is to be seen yet," said Mr Caldwell.

Then he told the story of the lost money, using as few words as
possible, as was his way. He only told the facts of the case, how the
money had been brought to Mr Oswald and its receipt acknowledged by
him, and how a part of it had never been found or accounted for, and how
Mr Oswald had first suspected, and then openly accused David Inglis of
having taken it. He did not express any opinion as to whether Mr
Oswald was right or wrong, nor offer any suggestion as to what might
have become of the missing money, and one might not have thought from
his way of telling it, that he was particularly interested in the
matter. But he never removed his eyes from Mr Philip's face, and his
last words were--

"And it seems your brother thought you might have some knowledge of the
matter. Is that what he says in his letter?"

Philip's face was well worth looking at as the story went on. At first
he whistled and looked amused, but his amusement changed to surprise,
and then to consternation, as Mr Caldwell proceeded. When he ceased
speaking he exclaimed without heeding his question--

"What could my father mean? To blame Davie, of all people!"

"There was no one else, he thought," said David.

"No one else!" repeated Philip. "Nonsense! There was Mr Caldwell and
all the rest of them in the office, and there was _me_. I took the
money."

"If you had acknowledged it a little sooner, it would have been a wiser
thing for yourself, and it would have saved your father much vexation,
and a deal of unhappiness to David Inglis and the rest of them," said
Mr Caldwell, severely. "You had best tell your father about it now,"
added he, as Mr Oswald came out of his room.

"Acknowledge it! Of course, I acknowledge it. Papa, did you not get
the note I left on your table for you the day I went away?"

"The note!" repeated his father. "I got no note from you."

"David, my man," whispered Mr Caldwell, "do you mind the word that
says, `He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the li