use him of it; but I fear there is no room to doubt that
he is guilty. He was the only one in the office while I was out."

"It is very hard to believe Harry Stuart a thief," said Mrs. Dent. "He
had as open and frank a face as I ever saw, and every one says he is
devoted to his mother; but then of course he was greatly tempted,
needing the money as he did."

"Do you mean the five-dollar bill Aunt Susan sent to me, father?" asked
Sidney.

He had grown very pale and his voice trembled as he spoke.

"Yes; how did you hear of it? The letter came the very day you left."

"Oh, father, I read the letter, and--and it was I who took the money! I
fully intended to tell you, but--"

And there Sidney broke down utterly and could not go on.

"_You_ took it!" repeated his father. "Oh, what trouble and sorrow you
have brought upon an innocent person, Sidney, by not letting me know
that sooner!"

"I intended to write from Meadville," faltered Sidney.

"But, as usual, you did not carry out your good intentions. Sidney, for
the first time in my life I am ashamed of you--heartily ashamed."

By degrees they drew the whole story from Sidney; and, though they
blamed him, they could not but feel sorry for him, so acute was his
remorse.

"I hope this affair will be a lesson to you as long as you live," said
Mr. Dent, as he dismissed the remorseful boy to his room.

Had it not been so late, Sidney would have gone that night to see Harry
Stuart, but as it was, he was up the next morning by six o'clock, and in
the cold, gray light of the first day of the New Year hurried to the
little brown cottage.

He found Mrs. Stuart sitting by the bedside of her son, who, never
strong, had been utterly prostrated by the trouble which had come upon
him, and for two days he had been delirious with fever.

He did not recognize Sidney, and the latter could hardly repress his
tears as he took the young man's hot hand in his own and looked down at
his flushed face and unnaturally bright eyes, and heard him mutter
incoherently his denial of the theft of which he had been suspected.

That was the only call Sidney made that day. All else was forgotten as
he sat by Harry Stuart's bedside hour after hour, trying to atone for
the pain and grief his carelessness had caused.

Harry got well at last and was restored to his former place with an
increase in salary, and he and Sidney were firm friends for the rest of
their lives; but Sidney never forgot the