"If you do, I hope you won't forget your sacred profession."
"I am a minister, but I am also a gentleman, and I shall resent an insult."
"Look here," said Mark, getting out of patience, "either you give me back that purse for the young lady or I will call the conductor and lay the matter before him."
"Rev." Mr. Buffington tried to turn Mark from his purpose by threats, but he was evidently alarmed. He was conscious of guilt, and he knew how such an appeal would end for him.
Mark saw him waver, and followed up his advantage.
"There was only about five dollars in the purse," he said, "and it won't pay you to keep it. If you give it up without further trouble I won't expose you. What do you say?"
Mr. Buffington looked in Mark's resolute face and he saw that he was in serious earnest. He felt that he was in the boy's power, and much as it galled him, he decided that he must yield.
"It is possible, of course, that the young lady in handling the purse, may have dropped it into my pocket," he said. "I will search for it, and if that is the case it shall be returned."
He thrust his hand into his pocket and drew out the purse.
"I wouldn't have believed it," he murmured. "It is a most extraordinary incident. Is this the young lady's purse?"