"Tell him, my dear; it will do no good now to keep anything back," Mrs. Blake spoke up again, putting her arm about me as a mother might a stricken child. "All right; you know best, my dear, I suppose. Well, then, my son, your uncle is accused of taking—taking money, but no one believes he stole it." "Uncle Job steal money!" I cried, too much overcome to say more. "Well, the money was left with him, and in the morning it was gone." "What money?" I exclaimed, "and why do they say he took it?" "Because he slept in the office that night." "Oh, but some one else might have taken it. Uncle Job wouldn’t!" "That is what we all think, but who did take it? That is the question that puzzles every one, for nothing in the room was disturbed, and no one could have entered." "Who had him arrested—Moth?" I asked, my thoughts reverting to him as the source of all our troubles. "No; the man the money belonged to. He came up from Rock Island, but brought Moth along and a constable, and after they had been in Appletop a few hours they accused your Uncle Job, and he was arrested." "I knew it was Moth; but where is Uncle Job now?" "In jail." "In jail!" I cried, breaking down. "His friends offered to bail him out, but he refused, saying he was innocent, and would never leave the place till it was made clear." "In jail! Poor uncle! And what are they doing to clear him?" I asked, scarce able to speak. "I don’t know. He even refused to have a lawyer, saying there was no need of one; but Mr. Seymour got one on his own account, and Rathe says he will hire another." "Rathe?" "Yes; he is dreadfully worked up over the scandal." "When did it all happen?" I asked, striving in vain to control myself. "A week ago!" "A week ago, and nobody has told me! Oh, Uncle Job, you haven’t a friend in the world, and will surely be lost!" I cried. "Why did I come here, anyway, and leave you! I was a coward to fear Moth, when you were in greater danger than I." "There! don’t take on so, my dear. I’m sure it will all come out right in the end," Mrs. Blake interposed, hopefully. "No; and I’m going to him, and to-day—and now," I cried, taking up my hat.