"You chaps can settle all this some other time," said Joey sharply. "Wot we want to get at now is this: Wot's to be done next? Is David to set down and wait or is he to go back there and wait?" "Go back there?" gasped Dick. "Why, Joey Noakes, ain't you got a mite o' sense? You old noodle! Of course, he ain't to go back there. You mark my words, purty soon his neighbors will be advertisin' for him to come home and forgive 'em. No, sir! Wait here until something drops. Read the _Cincinnati Enquirer_ every day, kid. You'll find something to interest you every little while about the Jenison murder case. You see, my buck, they're still lookin' for you." "I hope it all turns out as you think, Dick," cried David fervently. He was weak with excitement. "Oh, how I long to be cleared of this awful thing! How I long for the sight of Jenison Hall! And, say, Dick! If I should go back there as master, I want you and Ernie to come there and stay--all the rest of your lives. I--" But Dick raised his hand; his eyes had narrowed. "I couldn't do that, David," he said, a harsh note in his usually pleasant voice. "Thank you, just the same. Ernie and me are not cut out for places like Jenison Hall. We--we'd have all the silver inside of a week--and maybe the furniture." His face flushed as he made this banal excuse for jest. Ruby cried out in protest. "Don't say that, Dick Cronk! You _could_ be different. Oh, why don't you try it, Dick?" He looked down. His lips worked in the effort to force a grin of derision. His hand was trembling. No one spoke; somehow they felt the struggle that was going on within him. At last he lifted his eyes to hers. "Can't do it, Ruby," he said quietly. "I don't think I'm naturally a thief, but it's got hold of me. If I thought there was a chance, maybe I'd--oh, but what's the use! Let's change the subject. Jacky, before we part for the night, I want to say something more to you. It hurts like the devil to say it, but I got to. You said you'd like me and Ernie to--to come down there. Well, I may as well tell you right here in front of these friends of our'n that Ernie--my brother, don't like you. Now, don't say anything! You can't understand. He's terrible bitter against you. You'll excuse me if I say there's a--a girl at the bottom of it." "A girl?" fell from David's lips. "You--Great heaven, Dick, you don't mean--Christine!"