stable said. "You don't
suppose anyone would let you out, only on the strength of the story
you have told me. He could only remand you, and you could gain
nothing by it."

"Can I see my mother?" Reuben asked next.

"Yes," the constable said, "I will send her down a message, at
once."

Mrs. Whitney soon came up. A neighbour had brought her in the news
when Reuben had been arrested, and she was on the point of starting
to inquire about it when the message arrived. She was more
indignant than grieved, when she heard the charge which had been
brought against Reuben.

"The idea of such a thing!" she exclaimed. "These constables don't
seem to have natural sense. The idea of charging anyone who is
known as a respectable young man with such a thing as that, and
shutting him up without a question. Why, there can't be any
evidence against you."

"There's no saying, mother," Reuben replied. "You mustn't be too
sure of that. Don't you remember that affair of the dog? Well, the
same hand is at work now. Before, I only suspected who had done it;
but I am sure now. However, whatever evidence they may have got, we
know it isn't true. I have four years' good character here to speak
for me. Still, it is hard that I should get into positions of this
sort, without any fault of mine."

"It's better that it is without any fault of yours, Reuben."

"That is right enough, mother, so we will both keep up our
spirits."

Chapter 4: The Trial.

There were three magistrates on the bench on the following morning,
when Reuben was brought up. The justice room was crowded, for the
series of burglaries had caused some excitement; and the news that
the house of Mr. Ellison had been broken into, and that one of the
men who had been taken turned out to belong to Lewes, had created
quite a sensation.

Mr. Ellison was the first to give his evidence. He testified that,
on waking on the previous morning, he found that someone had been
in his room during the night. He was not in the habit of locking
his door, and had not been awakened. He found that a box which
stood on the dressing table, containing some valuable jewelry, was
gone; that his watch and that of Mrs. Ellison had been taken; that
the drawers had been opened, and a case containing the more
valuable jewels of his wife had also been abstracted. This was not
discovered till afterwards. He first missed his watch.

He rang the servants up, for it was still early; and it was then
d