He took one out of his pocket, opened it, glanced at it, looked surprised and worried, and stood silent a few moments. Then he waved his hand in a wandering and mechanical way, and made an effort or two to say something, then gave it up, despondently. Several voices cried out: “Read it! read it! What is it?” So he began, in a dazed and sleep-walker fashion: “‘The remark which I made to the unhappy stranger was this: “You are far from being a bad man. [The house gazed at him marvelling.] Go, and reform.”’ [Murmurs: “Amazing! what can this mean?”] This one,” said the Chair, “is signed Thurlow G. Wilson.” “There!” cried Wilson, “I reckon that settles it! I knew perfectly well my note was purloined.” “Purloined!” retorted Billson. “I’ll let you know that neither you nor any man of your kidney must venture to--” The Chair: “Order, gentlemen, order! Take your seats, both of you, please.” They obeyed, shaking their heads and grumbling angrily. The house was profoundly puzzled; it did not know what to do with this curious emergency. Presently Thompson got up. Thompson was the hatter. He would have liked to be a Nineteener; but such was not for him; his stock of hats was not considerable enough for the position. He said: “Mr. Chairman, if I may be permitted to make a suggestion, can both of these gentlemen be right? I put it to you, sir, can both have happened to say the very same words to the stranger? It seems to me--” The tanner got up and interrupted him. The tanner was a disgruntled man; he believed himself entitled to be a Nineteener, but he couldn’t get recognition. It made him a little unpleasant in his ways and speech. Said he: “Sho, _that’s_ not the point! _That_ could happen--twice in a hundred years--but not the other thing. _Neither_ of them gave the twenty dollars!” [A ripple of applause.] Billson. “I did!” Wilson. “I did!” Then each accused the other of pilfering. The Chair. “Order! Sit down, if you please--both of you. Neither of the notes has been out of my possession at any moment.” A Voice. “Good--that settles _that_!” The Tanner. “Mr. Chairman, one thing is now plain: one of these men has been eavesdropping under the other one’s bed, and filching family secrets. If it is not unparliamentary to suggest it, I will remark that both are equal to it. [The Chair. “Order! order!”] I withdraw the remark, sir, and will confine myself to suggesting that _if_ one of them has overheard the other reveal the test-remark to his wife, we shall catch him now.” A Voice. “How?” The Tanner. “Easily. The two have not quoted the remark in exactly the same words. You would have noticed that, if there hadn’t been a considerable stretch of time and an exciting quarrel inserted between the two readings.” A Voice. “Name the difference.” The Tanner. “The word _very_ is in Billson’s note, and not in the other.” Many Voices. “That’s so--he’s right!”