"Who hired me to steal?" retorted Micky.
"I don't think you would need any hiring," said Gilbert, with a sneer.
Micky was about to retort in no choice terms, but Mr. Rockwell signed to him to be silent.
"This boy has made a charge against you, Mr. Gilbert," he said, "which you ought to be made aware of."
"He is capable of any falsehood," said the book-keeper; but he began to be nervous.
"I thought your acquaintance with him was very slight."
"So it is; but it is easy to judge from his looks what he is."
"That is not always a safe guide. But to the charge. He asserts that you hired him to fix the charge of theft upon Richard, on account of your dislike to him."
"So he did, and all he give me was a dollar," said Micky, aggrieved. "That was mean."
"Do you believe this story?" asked Gilbert, turning to Mr. Rockwell.