"Perhaps," suggested Nichols, who rather liked Walter, "he forgot to put it down."
"If he did, he forgot to put the money in the drawer, for the cash and the sales have always balanced. He's an ungrateful young rascal," continued Mr. Drummond, harshly. "After I took him into my house and treated him as a son (this was not saying much, if Joshua may be believed), he has robbed me in the most cold-blooded manner."
Why there should be anything cold-blooded in appropriating the price of the shawl, even had the charge been true, I cannot say, nor could Mr. Drummond probably, but he thought that the use of this term would make the offence seem more aggravated.
Even Nichols was a little staggered by the evidence against our hero. He did not like to think him guilty, but it certainly seemed as if he must be.
"What are you going to do about it, Mr. Drummond?" he asked.
"I suppose I ought to have him arrested. He deserves it."
"I hope you won't do that. He may be able to explain it."
"If I do not proceed to extremities, it will be on account of his relationship, which I blush to acknowledge."
The time had been, and that not long since, when Mr. Drummond felt proud of his relationship to the rich Squire Conrad of Willoughby; but that was before his loss of property. Circumstances alter cases.