"Why should they?" asked Percy, and there will be many others who will be disposed to echo the question. "Why should gambling debts take precedence of honest obligations?" It is not necessary to repeat Reginald's explanation, as it was shallow and sophistical. Two hours later Sam Doyle, a young Irish boy, espied, under a bush by the roadside, what seemed to be a letter. He picked it up, and, though his education was by no means extensive, he made out the name of Mr. Jones. "Shure Mr. Jones must have dropped it out of his pocket," he said. "I'll carry it to him." He entered the store, and attracted the attention of the grocer, who was behind the counter, and in a bad humor, smarting still from his loss of twenty dollars. "Clear out, you Sam Doyle!" he said, "unless you want to buy something. I don't want any boys loafing round my store." "Is this your envelope, Mr. Jones?" asked Sam, producing the envelope. "Give it to me." Mr. Jones read his name on the envelope in some wonder and tore it open. What was his amazement and delight when he saw the lost bill! "Where did you get this, Sam?" he asked. "I found it under a bush by the side of the road, near the blacksmith's shop." "When?" "Shure it wasn't more'n five minutes." "Do you know what was in the envelope?" "No." "You are sure no one gave you the letter to hand to me?" said the grocer, with a searching glance. "Shure, I found it." "Well, I'm glad to get it. You are a good boy to bring it to me. Here's ten cents." Sam took the money, as much surprised as pleased, for the grocer was considered, and justly, a very mean man. "Thank you, Mr. Jones," he said. "You are sure that Bert Barton didn't give you the letter?" "Yes, sir. I haven't seen Bert since mornin'." "Did you see any other boy near?" "Yes, sir, I saw Percy Marlowe." "Did he speak to you?" "Yes, sir; he asked me what I'd got in my hand." "What did you say?" "I showed him the letter." "Did he say anything to you then?" "He told me it was for you, and he said I'd better take it right over to your store." "He gave you good advice. Wait a minute, and I'll do up a pound of sugar and send it to your mother as a present." "What's come to the old man?" thought Sam. "Shure he's gettin' generous in his old age!" "I wish I knew who took that bill," thought the grocer meditatively. "However I've got it back, and that's the main thing." When Percy dropped the envelope, he remained near at hand, and seeing Sam pick it up, instructed him to carry it to the grocer. He then breathed a sigh of relief, and felt that he was lucky to get out of a bad scrape so safely. CHAPTER XVII. AFTER THE TRIAL. "Mr. Conway," said Bert, as they walked home together from the trial, "I am very grateful to you for getting me out of my trouble. If you will let me know your fee, I will pay it." "My dear boy," rejoined the young lawyer, "this is my vacation, and I only took up your case to keep my hand in."