d.

"Where have you been, Robert?"

"I called to see Mrs. Jones."

"What did you want of Mrs. Jones?"

"It was an errand for Aunt Jane."

"Will you answer my question?" said Trafton angrily. "What business has
your aunt got with Mrs. Jones?"

He still thought that his wife had sent a message to Mr. Jones through
the wife of the latter.

"She had been doing a little sewing for Mrs. Jones and asked me to carry
the work back."

"Oh, that's it, is it?" said John Trafton, relieved. "And how much did
the work come to?"

"Twenty-five cents."

"You may give me the money, Robert," said the fisherman. "You might lose
it, you know."

Could Robert be blamed for regarding his uncle with contempt? His
intention evidently was to appropriate his wife's scanty earnings to his
own use, spending them, of course, for drink. Certainly a man must be
debased who will stoop to anything so mean, and Robert felt deeply
ashamed of the man he was forced to call uncle.

"I can't give you the money, uncle," said Robert coldly.

"Can't, hey? What do you mean by that, I want to know?" demanded the
fisherman suspiciously.

"My aunt wanted me to buy a little tea and a loaf of bread with the
money."

"What if she did? Can't I buy them just as well as you? Hand over that
money, Robert Coverdale, or it will be the worse for you."

"I have no money to hand you."

"Why haven't you? You haven't had a chance to spend it yet. You needn't
lie about it or I will give you a flogging!"

"I never lie," said Robert proudly. "I told you I haven't got the money
and I haven't."

"Then what have you done with it--lost it, eh?"

"I have done nothing with it. Mrs. Jones wouldn't pay me."

"And why wouldn't she pay you?"

"Because she said that you were owing her husband money for drink and
she would credit it on your account."

As Robert said this he looked his uncle full in the eye and his uncle
flushed a little with transient shame.

"So aunt must go without her tea and bread," continued Robert.

John Trafton had the grace to be ashamed and said:

"I'll fix this with Jones. You can go to the store and get the tea and
tell Sands to charge it to me."

"He won't do it," said Robert. "He's refused more than once."

"If he won't that isn't my fault. I've done all I could."

Trafton turned back and resumed his seat on the porch, where he remained
till about ten o'clock. It was his usual evening resort, for he did not
think it necessary t