"'Do you mean Bagsley?' he asked, lowering his voice and tapping thoughtfully on the desk with his fingers.
"'Mr. Johnson,' I suddenly cried, a light flashing in upon my mind, 'did you, the morning father started South, get a note from him thanking you for the check?' and as he shook his head in reply, I went on: 'Well, the night before, I mailed one to you. Who opened your mail that morning?'
"'Bagsley,' he replied; 'but how did he get access to the safe, and what could have been his motive in so cruelly wronging your father, if guilty?'
"'I don't know any more than you,' I answered, turning to go. As I laid my hand upon the office door it opened, and Bagsley appeared. By the look of rage on his face as he glanced at me I knew he had been listening to our conversation. He walked over to Mr. Johnson with a handful of papers he wanted him to sign, and I departed.
"Going back to the place where I was stopping, I remained all night, and early the next morning took my pack and started out of the city. I had so little money I had decided to walk to Providence, looking for work all the way. Barely had I turned the first street corner when I ran into Bagsley. He at once recognized me, and catching me by the arm, hissed out the words:
"'You young rascal! I've a good mind to throttle you; and I will if you ever come about the office again telling stories about me!' Then he shook me and hurled me from him with a force that sent me into the nearest gutter.
"Thoroughly angered by the treatment I had received, I sprung to my feet and foolishly said:
"'Bagsley, it was you who forged that check and sent it to father to cover your theft of the thousand dollars, and I'll prove it yet!'
"He came toward me, his eyes flashing with a murderous light and his fists clinched. I expected ah encounter with him that would only end in serious injury to one or the other of us, and braced myself for it. But just then he caught sight of a gentleman coming down the street, and shaking his fist in my face, he muttered:
"'The next time I meet you I'll kill you!' and then he turned the corner and disappeared.