ere was, if it sufficed
to lodge the faintest trace of suspicion in his mind. For, like some
poisons, an atom of suspicion is as fatal as the largest quantity, Nay,
perhaps, even more surely so, for against great suspicion the mind often
takes arms and makes valiant head; but a little doubt, by its timid and
hesitant demeanor, disarms opposition, and is readily entertained. And
all that night, lying awake, and knowing that Silas was sleepless just
the other side of the partition, and that the fungus of suspicion was
moment by moment overgrowing his mind, he could hardly wait for morning,
but would fain have rushed, even now in the darkness, to his bedside to
cry: "I did not do it! Believe me, brother, I did not do it!"

In the morning, however, the sun shone brightly into his room, and last
night's events and misunderstandings seemed like a bad dream. He went
downstairs almost cheery. He did not find Silas, but Mrs. Kilgore
was about. He was rather startled to observe the entire change in her
demeanor. Yesterday she was constantly following him up with her sharp
black eyes and brisk questions and exclamations, but now she seemed
frightened, acted in a constrained manner, and avoided his eyes.

"Where is Silas?" he asked, as they sat down to table.

"He said that there was something he must see to at the shop before work
began, so he had an early breakfast," replied Mrs. Kilgore, with her
eyes on her plate.

Had she been looking up, she would have seen a piteous constriction in
the muscles of Joseph's face. His heart was sick, and all his regained
courage sank away. It was no bad dream. Silas was afraid to meet him.
He left his meal untasted, and went to the office. A dozen acquaintances
stopped him on his way down-street to ask about the murder; and all day
long somebody was dropping in to pester him on the same subject. He told
them with a dull, abstracted air all the fresh details he knew, but
felt all the time as if he cheated each auditor of the vital part of the
matter, in that he failed to shout after him:--

"Silas suspects me of it!"

Silas had, indeed, left the house early for the purpose of avoiding his
brother. He was in a condition of mind and nerve in which he did not
dare to meet him. At tea the brothers met for the first time since the
night previous. There was a constraint between them like that between
strangers, but stronger and more chilling far than ever that is. There
is no chill like that whi