oes. The boy altered her checks,
and robbed his grandfather--if you call it robbing. I call it getting a
bit on account by forcing the hand of a skinflint. For old Herresford is
worse than the Ormsbys, worse than the Jews. He has owed me money for
eighteen months, and I've got to go to the courts to force him to pay.
I've had a boy go wrong myself; but he's working with me now as straight
and good a lad as man could wish. Look them straight in the face,
Swinton, and tell them from the pulpit that the boy's fault in swindling
his grandfather out of what ought to be his, was wiped out by his service
to his country. It was a damned fine piece of pluck, sir. I take off my
hat to the boy; and, if there's to be any service of burial, or anything
of that sort, I'll come."

The rector parted from his candid friend, still unable to grasp the
situation thoroughly. That the bank had spread abroad the false report
seemed certain. He hurried, fuming with indignation, to call on Mr.
Barnby and have the matter out with him. But it was past three, and the
doors of the bank were shut.

If his wife had seen Barnby, there must have been some misunderstanding.
He hurried home, to find the house silent and deserted. In the study, the
light was fading and the fire had gone out. He was about to ring for the
lamp to be lighted when a stifled sob revealed the presence of someone in
the room.

"Mary!"

His wife was on the hearth-rug, with her arms spread out on the seat of
the little tub chair, and her head bowed down. She heard him come in, but
did not raise her head.

"Mary, Mary, you must not give way like this," he murmured, as he bent
over her and raised her gently. "Tears will not bring him back, Mary."

"It isn't that--it isn't that!" she cried, as he lifted her to her feet.
"Oh, I am so wretched! I must confess, John--something that will make you
hate and loathe me."

"And I have something to talk to you about, dearest. There is a horrible
report spread in the town, apparently, by the bank people. Just now, a
man came up and condoled with me, calling my son a thief and a forger."

"John! John!" cried his wife, placing her hands upon his shoulders, and
presenting a face strained with agony. "I am going to tell you something
that will make you hate me for the rest of your life."

The rector trembled with a growing dread.

"First, tell me what Barnby said to you, and what you said to him, about
those checks that you got from you