“Mr. Smith,” said Ben Platt, in a spirited tone, “no one ever suspected me of dishonesty before.”

“Nor me,” said Wilkins.

“That’s neither here nor there,” said the principal, dogmatically. “It stands to reason that some one took the money. Money doesn’t generally walk off itself,” he added, with a sneer².

“I don’t dispute that,” said Ben; “but that does not prove that Wilkins or I had anything to do with it.”

“You were in the room with the money for half an hour, according to your own confession,” said Socrates.

“Yes, I was.”

“And part of that time Wilkins was also present.”

“Yes, sir,” assented³ Wilkins.

“I am no lawyer,” said the principal, triumphantly⁴, “but that seems to me a pretty good case of circumstantial evidence.”

“You seem to forget, sir, that there is another person who had an excellent chance to take the money,” said Ben Platt.

“You mean Hector Roscoe? That is true. It lies between you three.”

“No, Mr. Smith, I do not mean Hector Roscoe. I have as much confidence in Roscoe as myself.”

“So have I,” sneered⁵ Socrates.

“And I know he would not take any money that did not belong to him. I mean a very different person—your nephew, James Smith.”

Socrates Smith frowned with anger. “There seems to be a conspiracy⁶ against my unfortunate nephew,” he said. “I don’t believe a word of your mean insinuations, and I am not deceived by your attempt to throw your own criminality upon him. It will not injure him in my eyes. Moreover, I shall be able to trace back the theft to the wrongdoer. The missing bill was marked with a cross upon the back, and should either of you attempt to pass it, your

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