suppressed that will, did you not?"

"Yes, I did--damn you!"

"Good Lord!" cried the sheriff. "Did ye hear that?--destroyed it! That's
State's prison."

"Oh, Mr. Franklin, Mr. Denny! have mercy on me! Do not let them arrest
me."

The poor creature seemed to be utterly cowed and crushed in an instant.

"Marcy!" said the sheriff, taking out a pair of handcuffs. "It's little
marcy ye'll git."

"You ask for mercy!" cried Mr. Denny, his face livid with passion.
"You--you wretch! Have you not ruined me? Have you not made my child a
beggar, and carried my gray hairs in sorrow to the grave? You knew the
value of this will--and you destroyed it! Your other crimes are as
nothing to this. I could forgive your monstrous frauds in my mills----"

Mr. Belford winced and looked surprised.

"Ay! wince you may. I have found out everything, thanks to--but I'll not
couple his name with yours. And the release of the mortgage--have you
that?"

"No, sir. It is in that bag on the table."

The old gentleman eagerly took up the bundle that lay on the table, and
began with trembling fingers to open it.

"Wait a moment, Mr. Denny," said Mr. Franklin. "I should like to ask
this man a question or two."

Mr. Denny paused, and there was a profound silence in the room.

"Lawrence Belford, if you are wise, you will speak the truth. That
release is a forgery--or at least it has no legal value."

"It is not worth a straw," replied the prisoner with cool impudence;
"and on the whole, I'm glad of it. The mortgage will be foreclosed
to-morrow."

"Your share will be small, Mr. Belford. I am afraid your partner will
find some difficulty in making a settlement with you, unless he joins
you in prison."

Mr. Denny sat heavily down in an arm-chair and groaned aloud. In vain
Alma, with choking voice, tried to comfort him. The blow was too
terrible for words, and for a moment or two there was a painful silence
in the room.

Mr. Franklin seemed nervous and excited. He fumbled in his pockets as if
in search of something. Presently he advanced toward the old gentleman
and said quietly:

"Mr. Denny, can you bear one more piece of news--one more link in this
terrible chain of crime?"

"Yes," he replied slowly. "There can be nothing worse than this. Speak,
my son--let us hear everything."

"I think, sir," said the young man reverently, "that I ought to thank
God that He has enabled me to bring such knowledge as He has given me to
your service."