'His wife was quite calm now. With a mournful smile she pointed to the beautiful face of the dead. "The seal of God is on that brow. Your severity could only destroy the body; God has claimed the soul. I cannot weep for him; he is happier than his parents. Can you now look in that pure face and believe him guilty?" '"O woman, great is your faith. But the proof--how can I do away with the proof of his crime?" '"Leave that to me. I have a solemn duty to perform for my murdered son. May God give me strength for the task. Call Ralph Wilson, but do not tell him what has happened." 'Humbled and subdued, but still unconvinced of his son's innocence, the Doctor left the room, and shortly returned, followed by the old man. 'Mrs. Leatrim motioned to him to approach the bed. 'Rigid and immoveable, the Doctor resumed his place, still grasping the bed-post to support him from falling. Mrs. Leatrim spoke slowly and with some effort, but every word fell distinctly upon his ear. '"Ralph Wilson, this is your work!" '"I, my lady? I did not kill him! I did not strike him hard enough for that. It was the Doctor that ordered me to do it. I begged him to have mercy on the lad. O Lord! who would have thought of his taking a little beating so to heart?" 'The old man turned from the bed, and cried aloud. '"A slanderous tongue is sharper than a two-edged sword; to noble natures like his, it strikes home to the heart. Ralph Wilson, you are an old man standing on the very verge of the grave. You accused my son of theft, and declared on your word of honour as a Christian that you saw him commit the robbery!" '"Yes, my lady. A dreadful business, my lady, but too true." '"I demand, in proof of this, that you come here and lay your hands upon the brow of your victim, and swear by the living God, by your hopes of salvation through the blood of Christ, that you saw George Leatrim commit this crime." 'The man made a few steps forward. His face became livid, large drops of perspiration trickled down his forehead, his teeth chattered together, and a universal spasm convulsed his features. '"You dare not do it!" said Mrs. Leatrim, pointing to the calm, majestic face of her son. "To witness against him now were to lie in the face of God!" '"I have murdered him!" sobbed the old man, sinking on his knees at his master's feet "It was I who stole the money." '"You, Ralph?" and the Doctor tried to shake himself free from the grasp of the withered hands that clutched his garments. "Oh, my poor injured boy!" '"Yes, I did it," continued Ralph, in a tone of despair. "The devil tempted me, as he did Judas to betray his Master. I have been a hypocrite all my life. I loved gold--I worshipped it--I lost no opportunity of obtaining it when I could escape detection; but it has destroyed my miserable soul." '"But why lay the robbery of the box on George?" asked Dr. Leatrim. "You were safe from detection; I never suspected you."