when Miss Celia asked
how he meant to begin, he could only respond with a blank expression:
"Don't know! You give me the keys and leave a bill or two in the drawer,
and may be I can find him out somehow."

So the keys were given, and the little dressing-room where the old
secretary stood was closely watched for a day or two. Ben cheered up a
trifle which looked as if he knew an eye was upon him, but otherwise he
went on as usual, and Miss Celia feeling a little guilty at even
harboring a suspicion of him, was kind and patient with his moods.
Thorny was very funny in the unnecessary mystery and fuss he made; his
affectation of careless indifference to Ben's movements and his clumsy
attempts to watch every one of them; his dodgings up and down stairs,
ostentatious clanking of keys, and the elaborate traps he set to catch
his thief, such as throwing his ball in at the dressing-room window and
sending Ben up the tree to get it, which he did, thereby proving beyond
a doubt that he alone could have taken the money, Thorny thought.
Another deep discovery was, that the old drawer was so shrunken that the
lock could be pressed down by slipping a knife-blade between the hasp
and socket.

"Now it is as clear as day, and you'd better let me speak," he said,
full of pride as well as regret at this triumphant success of his first
attempt as a detective.

"Not yet, and you need do nothing more. I'm afraid it was a mistake of
mine to let you do this; and if it has spoiled your friendship with Ben,
I shall be very sorry; for I do not think he is guilty," answered Miss
Celia.

"Why not?" and Thorny looked annoyed.

"I've watched also, and he doesn't act like a deceitful boy. To-day I
asked him if he wanted any money, or should I put what I owe him with
the rest, and he looked me straight in the face with such honest,
grateful eyes, I could not doubt him when he said 'Keep it, please, I
don't need any thing here, you are all so good to me.'"

"Now, Celia, don't you be soft-hearted. He's a sly little dog, and
knows my eye is on him. When I asked him what he saw in the
dressing-room, after he brought out the ball, and looked sharply at him,
he laughed, and said 'Only a mouse,' as saucy as you please."

"Do set the trap there, I heard the mouse nibbling last night, and it
kept me awake. We must have a cat or we shall be overrun."

"Well, shall I give Ben a good blowing up, or will you?" asked Thorny,
scorning such poor prey as m