“I don’t know! Why, mamma, you didn’t s’pose I took that cake?”
There was a quiver of pain in the young voice. Mrs. Dunlee looked at her child eagerly, as if she would read his very soul.
“Did you take it, Jamie? You said you wanted to show it to Dick Somers; you wished him to see it before it was cut. Now the cake is gone. Did you take it?”
The tone was very gentle, but it moved Jimmy strangely. He hung his head and burst into tears. Was he sorry he had been found out? Or did it grieve him to be suspected wrongfully?
“No, mamma,” said he; “I never did it.”
“Jimmy, I want the truth! Remember your dear Heavenly Father hears what you say.”
Jimmy only sobbed the harder at this.
“If you took the cake, and are sorry for it, I will forgive you.”
“O mamma! did you think I took it?”