“What was the scheme father and you had?” I asked. “Can you keep a secret?” questioned Mr. Norton in a low voice. “Certainly I can,” I replied, never dreaming of what was coming. “It was a plan to get hold of twenty thousand dollars worth of bonds and cash,” whispered the man. “How?” was all I could say. “Out of the bank.” “But how could you do it?” I asked innocently. Mr. Norton looked at me with a sneer on his lips. “Reuben, you’re a fool!” he cried. “You haven’t any sand in you at all.” “A little while ago you said I was pretty smart,” I returned, for it seemed about the only thing to say. “You are in some ways, but in others you are as blind as a mule. Of course, you don’t suppose the bank officials would hand the amount right over if it was asked for.” “Then I don’t see how father or you could get it, unless you had that sum on deposit.” “You don’t, eh?” “No, I don’t.” “Then you’re a fool.” And Mr. Norton turned on his heel. Suddenly a wave of light broke over me. I jumped to my feet, trembling from head to foot. “Do you mean to say you were going to steal that money?” I demanded. “Hush! not so loud.” “That isn’t answering my question,” I went on, ignoring his caution. “We were going to get that money, that’s all I have to say,” returned my guardian with a shrug of his shoulders. “Perhaps you were, but not my father,” I cried, with flashing eyes. “You will never make me believe that he consented to do anything that was wrong!” “You don’t know anything about it,” retorted Mr. Norton angrily. “Your father was hard up, and that was the only way to get money. It was his plan, not mine. I have always been an honest man, even though I was poor.” “Mr. Norton, you are a villain!” I cried in high indignation. “My father never did a willfully wrong action in his life, and I won’t allow you or any other man to say he did.” “Come, come, don’t get on a high horse,” replied my guardian. “You know just how poor your father was. His estate is deeply in my debt, and I want the money paid. I have found out that there are other claims against this mill, and that will leave you without a penny. Now if you will only listen to me, I will put you in a way of getting so much that you can leave work alone for a good while to come.” And the man placed his hand on my shoulder as if to thus persuade me to accede to his wishes. I threw the hand off. “Don’t you dare to touch me!” I cried. “You are a bad man, and I will have nothing to do with you. You may be my uncle, but you are so in law only, and not in my heart.” “Take care!” stormed Mr. Norton, now thoroughly aroused. “I won’t allow any one, least of all a boy, to talk to me like that.” “I don’t care. I never liked you from the start, and I want you to know it. I shall not consider you my guardian any longer.” “You won’t, eh?” “No, sir, I won’t.” “Then I’ll hand you over to the police the first chance I get. I can tell them a fine story about you.”