CHAPTER XVIII. TRAPPED.

"I don't think Scott would take my money," said Mrs. Little.

"I don't like to think so myself," rejoined Loammi, "but some one must have taken it."

"You say that Scott has a five-dollar bill?" said his mother, doubtfully.

"Yes, I saw it."

"When did you see it?"

"This evening. I was surprised, for I knew he was poor."

Mrs. Little began to think that Scott might have yielded to sudden temptation.

"Won't you call Scott?" she said. "He is in his room."

Loammi obeyed with alacrity¹.

He knocked at Scott's door, and it was opened to him.

"Scott," he said, "ma wants to see you. Can you come downstairs?"

[Pg 151]

"Certainly."

Scott was somewhat surprised, but he went down at once.

Mrs. Little looked embarrassed. She was a kind-hearted woman, and she shrank from charging Scott with theft.

"Did you wish to speak with me, Mrs. Little?" asked Scott.

"Yes; I have met with a loss. My pocketbook, containing a sum of money, has disappeared."

"I am sorry to hear it."

"I thought possibly you or Loammi might have seen it."

"I have not seen anything of a pocketbook. When did you miss it?"

"I have not seen it since three o'clock this afternoon."

"Do you remember whether you laid it down anywhere?"

"Yes; I laid it on the bureau in my room."

"Then how could I have seen it? I don't go into your room."

"Nor I," put in Loammi.

"I hope you don't suspect either of us of stealing it," said Scott, gravely.

"I don't know what to think. Loammi tells me[Pg 152] that you have in your possession a five-dollar bill. The pocketbook contained a five-dollar bill."

"Yes, Mrs. Little; I have a five-dollar bill of my own, I have had it for some time. This Loammi knew, and also where I got it."

"I don't know anything about that. But it seems very strange what can have become of the money."

"Ma," put in Loammi, "tell me in what sort of a pocketbook you kept the money?"

Mrs. Little gave a description of it.

"I have something to propose. Suppose you search my chamber² and Scott's, to see if there is any such pocketbook in either."

"I don't like to do that. It would be acting³ as if I thought you dishonest."

"I have no objection for one," said Loammi. "Have you, Scott?"

"None whatever."

"Then suppose we go about it. Go to my chamber first."

The three went into Loammi's room. Of course the search revealed nothing of the lost pocketbook.

"Now, let us go upstairs."

So they proceeded to Scott's room.

Scott sat down on a chair.

[Pg 153]

"Don't mind me," he said. "Look wherever you see fit."

Loammi lifted the pillow, then the bedclothes, peered behind the table, and under the bed.

"Of course, I haven't the slightest idea of finding it here, Scott," he said, "but it is just as well to look thoroughly⁴."

"You can't please me better."

With a nonchalant air Loammi went to the shelf, and raised the cover of a small tin box.

"What is this?" he asked, drawing from it the pocketbook.

"That is my pocketbook," said Mrs. Little, quickly. "Oh, Scott, how could you have taken it?"

"I wouldn't have believed it," said Loammi, trying to look surprised.

"Let me see that pocketbook," said Scott, quickly.

It was placed in his hand.

"Is this the pocketbook you lost?" he asked, turning to Mrs. Little.

"If it is not, it is exactly like it. Did you have one of this kind?"

"No, and I never saw this before."

Loammi looked significantly at his mother.

[Pg 154]

"I hope what you say is true," said Mrs. Little, looking troubled.

"It is true. What else was there in the pocketbook except a five-dollar bill?"

"A one-dollar note."

"I know nothing of either. Open this, Loammi, and see if either is in it now."

Loammi did so, but of course the pocketbook was empty.

"Do you think I took this pocketbook from your room, Mrs. Little?" asked Scott.

"What am I to think?"

"I can't tell you. I can tell you what I think."

"What is it?"

"That the person who stole the pocketbook took out the money and placed it where it was found."

"Oh, of course," sneered⁵ Loammi; "but who was it?"

"I don't know, but I mean to find out."

He gazed fixedly⁶ at Loammi, who flushed a little, for he saw that he was suspected.

"Ma," he said, "I hope you'll forgive Scott. Probably he will be willing to give up the money."

"I consider that remark an insulting one, Loammi. I don't want to be forgiven, nor can I give up money that I didn't take."

[Pg 155]

"Haven't you got a five-dollar note in your pocket?"

"Yes, but it's my own."

"We won't continue the discussion," said Mrs. Little, sadly. "I would a great deal rather have given away the money than lose it in this way."

"So you think me guilty, Mrs. Little?"

"I shall have to, if you don't explain how the pocketbook came to be in your room."

"That I can't do. Of course it was placed there, but I can't tell who did it."

"Of course I must report the matter to Mr. Little."

"Do so, madam. Perhaps he can think of some way to find out the real thief."

"Ma, I am sleepy. I think I will go to bed," said Loammi.

Mother and son rose, and left the room.

It will readily be supposed that Scott did not sleep much that night. He saw the awkwardness of his position.

He felt convinced that Loammi, if he had not taken the money, had secreted⁷ the pocketbook in his room with the design of throwing suspicion upon him. But how could he prove this?

That was the question, and one that baffled him.

[Pg 156]

Of course it was a despicable thing to do, but he believed that his cousin was quite capable of it.

The next morning Scott shrank from going down to breakfast. It was embarrassing for him to be looked upon as a thief, even though he were supported by the consciousness of innocence⁸.

As soon as he entered the dining room, he saw by Mr. Little's cold and frigid⁹ expression that he had been told.

Still, nothing was said until the meal was over.

When Scott rose from the table, Mr. Little said: "Stay behind a minute, young man. I have something to say to you."

"Yes, sir."

"Mrs. Little has told me of the discovery that was made in your chamber last evening."

"Very well, sir."

"But it is not very well. It looks very bad for you."

"Mr. Little, do you think I took your wife's pocketbook?"

"The evidence is pretty conclusive¹⁰."

"All I can say is that I am as innocent as you are."

"The pocketbook contained a five-dollar bill. I learn that you have a five-dollar bill."

[Pg 157]

"Yes, sir."

"I think that settles it."

"I beg your pardon, Mr. Little, but you yourself probably have a five-dollar bill in your pocket. It proves nothing."

"You are very plausible¹¹, but I am not easily fooled. I have just one thing to say. Give up that five-dollar bill, and we will overlook the theft."

"And if not?"

"Then you must leave my house and consider yourself discharged from my store."

Scott was pale but composed.

"You are treating me with great injustice," he said. "My innocence will some day appear. In the meantime I shall leave your house at once, sir."

"That is for you to decide," said Mr. Little, coldly, as he rose from the table.

Scott walked up slowly to his little chamber. His heart was heavy within him.

He was innocent, yet adjudged guilty. His home and situation were taken from him, and he was turned out into the street.

He resolved to go around and see Cousin Seth. Of his sympathy he felt assured.

[Pg 158]

He rang the bell, and Mrs. Mead¹² opened the door in person.

"Good-morning, Scott," she said, pleasantly.

"Is Mr. Lawton in?" asked Scott.

"No; he left last evening for the West, to be absent about a month. He asked me to say that he would write you in a day or two. He was called away suddenly by a telegram."

Scott's heart sank within him. He seemed to have lost his only friend.

1 alacrity   

n.敏捷，轻快，乐意

参考例句：

• Although the man was very old,he still moved with alacrity.他虽然很老，动作仍很敏捷。
• He accepted my invitation with alacrity.他欣然接受我的邀请。

2 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

3 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

4 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

5 sneered   

讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He sneered at people who liked pop music. 他嘲笑喜欢流行音乐的人。
• It's very discouraging to be sneered at all the time. 成天受嘲讽是很令人泄气的。

6 fixedly   

adv.固定地；不屈地，坚定不移地

参考例句：

• He stared fixedly at the woman in white. 他一直凝视着那穿白衣裳的女人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The great majority were silent and still, looking fixedly at the ground. 绝大部分的人都不闹不动，呆呆地望着地面。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

7 secreted   

v.（尤指动物或植物器官）分泌( secrete的过去式和过去分词 )；隐匿，隐藏

参考例句：

• Insulin is secreted by the pancreas. 胰岛素是胰腺分泌的。
• He secreted his winnings in a drawer. 他把赢来的钱藏在抽届里。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。

9 frigid   

adj.寒冷的，凛冽的；冷淡的；拘禁的

参考例句：

• The water was too frigid to allow him to remain submerged for long.水冰冷彻骨，他在下面呆不了太长时间。
• She returned his smile with a frigid glance.对他的微笑她报以冷冷的一瞥。

10 conclusive   

adj.最后的，结论的；确凿的，消除怀疑的

参考例句：

• They produced some fairly conclusive evidence.他们提供了一些相当确凿的证据。
• Franklin did not believe that the French tests were conclusive.富兰克林不相信这个法国人的实验是结论性的。

11 plausible   

adj.似真实的，似乎有理的，似乎可信的

参考例句：

• His story sounded plausible.他说的那番话似乎是真实的。
• Her story sounded perfectly plausible.她的说辞听起来言之有理。

12 mead   

n.蜂蜜酒

参考例句：

• He gave me a cup of mead.他给我倒了杯蜂蜜酒。
• He drank some mead at supper.晚饭时他喝了一些蜂蜜酒。