"Don't talk so, husband," repeated Mrs. Wilford.
"Keep still, wife. When a man hasn't done anything, it's hard to be charged with stealing six thousand dollars. They can't prove anything."
"Yes, we can, Mr. Wilford," interposed the sheriff. "It becomes my duty to arrest you, though I would rather have done it when your family were not present."
"Arrest me! What for?" exclaimed John Wilford. "You can't prove anything."
"Yes, we can," replied the sheriff.
"What can you prove?"
"I think it would be better for you not to talk so much," added the sheriff, in a low tone. "Come with me, and I will do my duty as quietly as possible."
"Come with you! What for?" said Mr. Wilford, in a loud tone. "I didn't steal the money."
"It's a plain case. It's no use for you to deny it any longer."
"But I didn't."