I saw it on the table with your
things, and I thought you had it, perhaps," said Louis, reluctantly.
"If it hadn't been for that, I shouldn't have come here, and shouldn't
have thought of playing the trick."

"You little--" exclaimed Trevannion. Not being able to find a genteel
epithet strong enough, he continued, "When Hamilton had just taken the
trouble of exchanging his own history with me, for your service! I see
it all now, Hamilton--you ungrateful boy!"

"How should I know? he never said so," replied Louis, touched to the
heart at this proof of his friend's kindness; and grieved very deeply
that he should have thought or said so unkind a thing of him in his
anger. "How am I to know what people think, if they don't speak, or
if I don't see them?"

"And so you did it out of revenge?" said Hamilton.

Louis was silent for a minute, for he could not speak; but at last
he replied, in a quivering voice--

"No; I told you I did it out of fun. I thought it was a letter,
and--and I have been very sorry I ever did any thing so foolish.
I should have brought it back sooner, but I could not remember
what I did with it."

"Why did you not tell me, at least, that you had taken it, Louis,"
said Hamilton, "when I was inquiring for it? It would have been
more open."

"I should have done it, I believe, if I had known how you would have
heard me--but it's not so easy when every one is against you. I brought
it only a few minutes after I found it."

"Who put such a thing into your head, Louis?" asked Reginald.

Louis checked the answer he had nearly given, and remained silent.

"Were you alone?" said Hamilton. "Were you the only one concerned
in this business?"

"I was not alone," replied Louis, rather proudly; "but I do not mean
to say who was with me. He was not to blame for what I did."

"How so?" asked Hamilton. "Didn't he put it into your head, and help
you to do it?"

"You have no right to ask such questions," said Louis, uneasily.
"He came in to help me find Rollin, and--that's all I shall tell you."

"What, Casson help you to find Rollin!" said Hamilton, quickly.
"He wouldn't know the book from a Lexicon."

"He did, however," said Louis; then, becoming suddenly conscious,
from the intelligent glances exchanged among his judges, of the
admission he had made, he turned very red, and exclaimed,

"It's very unfair!"

"I knew he was your companion," said Hamilton, rather scornfully. "You
have belonged to his