That was just what I feared, but upon looking round and seeing no suspicious-looking damsel anywhere near me, I concluded to waive my apprehensions on her account and proceed to the development of an idea that had been awakened by the old gentleman's words. "You are right," I acquiesced, edging, in my turn, toward the curtained recess of a window near by. "Let us wait here, and meantime you shall tell me what your suspicions are, for I feel the time has come for the truth to be made known, and who could better aid me in proclaiming it than you who have always stood my friend?" "That is true," he murmured, all eagerness at once. Then in a lower tone and with a significant gesture: "There _is_ something, then, which has never been made known? Edith was right when she said you did not steal the bonds out of your father's desk?" As he paused and looked me in the face, I was obliged to make some reply. I chose one of the non-committal sort. "Don't ask me!" I murmured, turning away with every appearance of profound agitation. He did not suspect the ruse. "But, my boy, I shall have to ask you; if I am to help you out of this scrape, I must know the truth. Yet if it is as I suspect, I can see why you should hesitate even now. You are a generous fellow, Joe, but even generosity can be carried past its proper limits." "Uncle," I exclaimed, leaning over him and whispering tremulously in his ear, "what are your suspicions? If I hear you give utterance to them, perhaps it will not be so hard for me to speak." He hesitated, looked all about us with a questioning glance, put his mouth to my ear, and whispered: "If I should use the name of Hartley in connection with what I have to say, would you be so very much surprised?" With a quick semblance of emotion, I drew back. "You think--" I tremulously commenced, and as suddenly broke off. "That it was he who did it, and that you, knowing how your father loved him and built his hopes upon him, bore the blame of it yourself." "Ha!" I exclaimed, with a deep breath as of relief. The suspicions of Uncle Joe were worth hearing. He seemed to be satisfied with the ejaculation, and with an increase of eagerness in his tone, went quickly on: "Am I not right, my boy? Is not this the secret of your whole conduct from that dreadful day to this?" "Don't ask me," I again pleaded, taking care, however, to draw a step nearer and exclaim in almost the same breath: "Why should you think it must necessarily have been one of us? What did _you_ know that you should be so positive it was either he or I who committed this dishonest action?"