Mr. Briggs here glanced at his wife with a relieved air. Gilbert spoke as if confident of his own innocence. It produced no such effect on Mrs. Briggs.
“He’s going to brazen it out,” she said to herself.
“Go on, then,” said Mr. Briggs, kindly. “What is your trouble?”
“I have been charged with theft, and dismissed from my situation,” said Gilbert, candidly.
“Do you call that nothing to be ashamed of?” demanded Mrs. Briggs, sharply.
Gilbert met her hostile gaze with unflinching calmness.
“No,” he said, “it is nothing for me to be ashamed of, for the charge is false.”
“What evidence have we of that except your own assertion?” demanded Mrs. Briggs.
“That is enough for me,” said Mr. Briggs.
“It is not enough for me,” said his wife.