ld man," said he, assuming the air of an injured man. "You
would not have deceived me--no man would--but that I took you for a
Christian. And when I take a man for a Christian I put faith in him.
That's why I put faith in you. I believed you honest, you see."

Chapman's familiar and even rude manner surprised and confounded Hanz.
In vain he protested his innocence, and offered to call the Dominie and
Doctor Critchel to testify that he had never in his life wronged any man
out of a shilling.

"You sold us something you had not got," continued Chapman, in an angry
tone, "and in that you committed a fraud. Honest men don't do such
things--never! Mr. Toodlebug. I thought you were a friend; but you have
deceived me--have deceived us all!"

The plot was now beginning to develop itself, and Hanz for the first
time began to see what a singular chain of adverse circumstances Chapman
had drawn around him. Never before in his life had a man openly charged
him with doing wrong. Angeline was even more troubled than Hanz, and
listened with fear and trembling to the words as they fell from
Chapman's lips. What could have worked this change in a person who had
so recently expressed such friendship for them? Her pure, unsuspecting
soul would not permit her to entertain the belief that her husband could
do wrong. She attempted to speak and enquire what this strange and
unaccountable scene meant; but her eyes filled with tears, her face
became as pale as marble, and her resolution failed her. Her little,
happy home had been rudely invaded, and a grasping, avaricious enemy
had shown himself where she expected to find a friend.

"I don't want to distress you, Mr. Toodlebug, I don't," said Chapman,
keeping his keen eyes fixed on Hanz. "I don't want to distress you, I
don't. But you must show that you are an honest man. Honesty is the best
policy. I've always found it so, at least. You must make this thing all
right, if it takes all you have to do it." When he had said this he put
on his hat and rudely took his departure.

"Angeline, mine Angeline," said Hanz, "if dish bat man should make me
loose mine goot name, den mine life it pees very misherable. What I toes
I toes t' oplige t' gentleman. How I toes wish mine Tite, mine poor poy
Tite, vas here." He sat thoughtfully in his chair for several minutes,
then sought consolation for his wounded feelings in a pipe.

Chapman had not been long gone when Mattie came rolicking into the
house,