"No, I suppose not. But it's true. He only came here two weeks and a half ago, and paid one week's rent in advance—four dollars. When the next week's rent became due he said that his employer was on a visit to Chicago, and he could not get his pay till he came back. Do you know whether that is true?"
"No, I don't. I never saw him before yesterday afternoon about four o'clock in a park about half a mile from here."
"So he wasn't at work at that time?"
"No; he said he worked for a broker and got through at three o'clock."
"A broker? Why he told me he was working in a wholesale house down town. At any rate, I wish he'd pay me the eight dollars he owes me."
"I wish he'd pay me the thirty-five dollars he owes me," said Jed despondently.
"You don't mean to say that you were goose enough to lend him thirty-five dollars?" exclaimed Mrs. Gately in a crescendo voice.
"No; I didn't lend it to him," returned Jed bitterly. "He must have taken it out of my pocket when I was asleep."
"Well, I declare! So he's a thief, too."
She looked around the room, and opening a bureau examined the drawers.