"Well, sir, what will you have?"
"Your attention, if you can give it, sir-one moment at your desk."
"Whatever you've got to say, say it here."
"No, sir, I must see you privately."
Wilkins and Guly both looked at Arthur in mute astonishment. His face was flushed and heated, his breath came short, like one who had been running, and his eyes and lips, and whole manner, evinced intense agitation and excitement.
"Is it such particular business, young man, that you must detain me now?" said the merchant, somewhat angered at the prospect of detention from his usual dinner hour.
"It is very particular business to me, sir; and interests you not much less."
Mr. Delancey waved his hand impatiently, for Arthur to precede him to his desk; then, with hasty step, and planting his cane each tread visibly on the floor, he followed him, and seating himself with formal precision, took off his hat, and leant stiffly back in his chair.
"Well, sir?"
Arthur would almost have as soon undergone the terrors of the Inquisition as to brave the tempest he expected soon to fall upon his devoted head. He called up all his courage, however, and began.
"This afternoon, sir, I took some money from Mr. Wilkins to deposit in the bank."
"Well? come, be quick."
"I put it, as I thought, safely in this pocket; I went from here straight to the bank. I don't know how it happened, I'm sure I can't imagine," said Arthur, growing confused, with those stern, strong eyes staring straight into his, "but when I got to the bank I found, sir, I had lost it."
"The devil you did!"
"I am sorry to say it, it is true."
"And what were you doing, on your way to the bank, that you hadn't an eye on that money, I'd like to know?"
"The money I supposed was safe, sir, and I walked straight along without thinking about it, till I reached the bank."
"A likely story that! Who did you talk to, or see, on your way? any of your companions?"
"I saw only one person, sir, whom I knew at all; one whom I have not seen before for several weeks."
"And that very one, I dare say, picked your pocket. What was his name? who was he?"
"He is a gentleman, sir, who would not do such a thing, I'm sure, any sooner than you would. He is a friend of mine."
"What is his name, I say?"
"Clinton, sir. No one that you know, probably."
The merchant leaned forward, and peered keenly into Arthur's face, as if to see if there was aught of hidden meaning in his words; and his features grew ashy pale while he asked, in a hoarse whisper:-
"Clinton? Clinton what?"
"Mr. Clinton is the only name I know him by. I haven't heard his given name," returned Arthur, surprised at the merchant's agitation.
Mr. Delancey said nothing for a moment; but sat leaning forward, with his pale face dropped in thought upon his breast.
"Did he talk with you long?" he asked, at last.
"No, sir. He walked with me one block."
"You had the money when he left you?"
"I did not touch it from here to the bank, sir; and knew nothing of it from the time I left this door, till I reached the bank counter."
"Hem! yes, yes, a very likely story. It couldn't have got out of your pocket without hands, young man; and if your friend wouldn't do such a thing, and your pocket was safe, I don't think but what you know something about it."
"Me, sir? Mr. Delancey, you don't mean to say-"
"Tut, tut, I know about you young chaps; I might have known I would have just such trouble when I took you, I suppose you think I don't know that Henriquez's billiard table is between here and the bank, eh?"
"If you do, you know more than I do, sir."
"Dare you tell me that? Here, haven't you been gone a good two hours?-and all that time going to the bank, eh?"
"I tell you the truth, Mr. Delancey; and I am sure you are aware of it."
"Well, there's no use talking now; you will not convince me if you talk till doomsday. That money you've got to replace out of your salary."
"Why, sir, it was three hundred dollars."
"There! there! how do you know how much it was, if you didn't look at it, I'd like to know."
"I heard Wilkins say this morning he had such a deposit to make. Ask him, sir, if he didn't."
"I've heard enough about it. You must make it up, that's all; and you'll be more careful henceforth."
"And, sir, you will retract what you insinuated had become of it? I'll willingly make it up to you, if it takes every cent I earn; but I'll not have a blight upon my reputation, even in your opinion, sir."
His words fell upon empty air; for Mr. Delancey had already left the high desk, and was striking his cane heavily down with each step, as he stalked down through the store. Arthur sank upon a chair, and buried his face in his hands.
"A hard fate," he murmured, bitterly. "First to suffer the loss, and then to be accused, or at least suspected, of appropriating it. Heavens! it is too much; I will not and cannot stand it."
"Be calm, Arthur," said Wilkins, in his full deep tones; "look up, and tell us what has happened."
Arthur raised his head, and told his story unhesitatingly.
"This is a bad business, my young friend. I am extremely sorry; but the only way for you is not to mind it. This is Mr. Delancey's way. Intercourse with the world has rendered him suspicious, and you'll never convince him that you don't know something about the money. No one else that knows you will ever think so, though; and you will stand just as high as ever. Yours isn't the first case of this kind."
"It is too outrageous, Wilkins, and I won't bear it. Do you think I'll tamely submit to be called, or thought, a thief?"
"What can you do? It is useless to talk or feel thus; say nothing, go steadily on, and Delancey himself will forget, after awhile, his suspicions. As to replacing it, I feel that you have been unfortunate through my means, and I will assist you in that."
"I don't wish you to, thank you, Wilkins. I don't care so much for my money as I do for my good name. To be robbed of it in this manner, is more than I can possibly endure."
"Let me beg of you to think no more about it. Follow my advice, and all will yet be well."
Arthur sat moodily down, and gave himself up to thought. He fancied there was no possible way to extricate himself from the difficulty, and that it would be useless to argue with such a man as his employer. With flushed cheek and thoughtful air he rose and took his place behind the counter.
Wilkins watched him anxiously, and then, as though Guly were the elder, instead of the younger brother, he sought him for a consultation. He was busy with a customer, and Wilkins noticed that he was displaying some of Blanche's new work, and wondered whether it was that, or interest in his brother's behalf, which brought such a bright glow to his cheek.
"It is very beautiful," said the lady who was buying, examining one of the collars closely, "Very beautiful; is that your lowest, Master Pratt?"
"The very lowest, Madame. I have been gratified in being able to show these articles to you first. They are quite new, and I know how well you like the first choice."
"No one else, then, has bought from these before?"
"No, Madame."
"It is high, but I'll take it."
"Yes, Madame."
As the lady left the store, Guly turned to Wilkins, with a bright smile:
"You see I have kept my promise to Blanche, and have sold her work to a 'choice customer.'"
"I see," said Wilkins. "A word with you, Guly."
Guly stepped toward him.
"Arthur has-"
"Poor Arthur! true enough! how could I forget him; what was the matter, Wilkins? I have been so busy, you know."
"He has got into sad trouble; I feel very sorry for him; but I can't help him an iota, that I see; it's too bad, I declare."