"Yes, I do. It seems to me you're mighty quick in suspecting me," continued Ben, with an air of injured innocence. "But what's all the fuss about? Have you missed anything?"
"Yes," said his mother, "I have met with a serious loss. But, Benjamin, it is very important that I should clearly understand who did or did not take it. Will you assure me upon your honor that you did not take anything from my bureau?"
"Of course I will," said Ben, who felt that he was in for it, and must stick stoutly to the lie at all hazards. "But you haven't told me what you lost."
Mrs. Oakley turned pale with consternation. She had depended upon Ben's proving the real culprit, in which case she could require restitution, at any rate, of the will.
"I lost a sum of money," she said,—"a hundred and twenty dollars."
"Whew!" said Ben. "That was a loss."
"But that was not all. There was besides a—a document of importance, for which I cared more than the money."
"I've no doubt of it," thought Ben.
"What was it?" he said aloud.