"Have you any evidence or certificate to show this?" "I can prove it, if necessary; but I will venture to suggest that your doubts on the subject are very singular, and that, lawyer or no lawyer, I am at liberty to appear for the defendant if he desires it." Squire Marlowe coughed and looked displeased at this remark. "State your case, Mr. Jones," he said, after the latter had been sworn. The grocer told the story as it happened, making it bear as heavily against Bert as possible. "Do you wish to ask the witness any questions, Mr. Conway," inquired the judge. "Yes, sir. Mr. Jones, what makes you think my client took your twenty-dollar bill?" "It stands to reason--" commenced the grocer. "Never mind about that! Please stick to facts." "Well, the bill disappeared." "Admitted. Go on." "The Barton boy was standing near the desk." "Did you see him take it?" "No; how could I? My back was turned." "This is important. Then, so far as your knowledge goes, any other person may have taken the bill." "Didn't I tell you that the boy was brazen enough to offer me the same bill in payment for some kerosene which I got for him?" "You are very sure it was the same bill, are you, Mr. Jones?" asked Conway carelessly. "Why, of course it was." "That won't do! How can you prove it was?" "Because," said the grocer triumphantly, "the bill I lost was a twenty-dollar bill, and the bill the boy offered me was a twenty-dollar bill," and Mr. Jones looked around the court-room with a complacent and triumphant smile. Squire Marlowe, judge though he was, gave a little nod, as if to show that he, too, thought the argument was unanswerable. Even Bert's friends in the court-room glanced at each other gravely. It certainly looked bad for our hero. CHAPTER XV. BERT'S TRIUMPHANT VINDICATION. "You have not answered my question, Mr. Jones," persisted the young lawyer. "I rather think I have," said the grocer, looking around him triumphantly. "But not satisfactorily. I ask you again, how do you know that the twenty-dollar bill tendered you by my client was the same bill which you left on the desk?" "It stands to reason----" "Stop there! That is no answer." "It seems to me you're mighty particular," retorted the grocer sharply. "My young client's interests require it. Now for your answer." "Well, there wasn't any other twenty-dollar bill around." "How do you know! Young Barton says he brought the bill from home." "He says so!" repeated Mr. Jones, with a suggestive sneer. "Upon that point I propose to call a witness who will corroborate his statement. Mrs. Barton!" The widow Barton came forward, pale and anxious, and was sworn. She was regarded with sympathy by all present except the grocer and the acting judge. After one or two unimportant questions, Mr. Conway asked: "When your son went to the grocery store, did he take any money with him?" "Yes, sir." "How much?" "Twenty dollars." "Was it in the form of one bill, or several?"