“I mean about his watch and some of your jewelry being taken.”
“Oh, yes, some time ago. You mean when he was up North. Wasn’t it too bad! And my lovely beads were in his valise. But how did you know of it?”
“Because,” blurted out Joe, “your brother accused me of taking them!”
Mabel started back.
“No!” she cried. “Never! He couldn’t have done that!”
“But he did, and I’d give a lot to be able to prove that I had no hand in the looting!” Joe spoke, half jokingly.
“How silly!” exclaimed the girl. “The idea! How did it happen?”
Joe explained briefly, amid rather excited ejaculations from Mabel, and had just concluded when Reggie came back. He caught enough of the conversation to understand what it was about, and as his sister looked oddly at him, he exclaimed:
“Oh, I say now, Matson! I was hoping that wouldn’t get out. I suppose I made rather a fool of myself—talking to you the way I did, but——”
“Well, I resented it somewhat at the time,” replied Joe, slowly, “but I know how you must have felt.”