All noticed that Ray suddenly grew pale and became strangely agitated as Mr. Woodhull went to the door. Whoever was there, he spoke to Mr. Woodhull in a low tone, who then went out, closing the door after him. He was gone a long time, and when he came in he looked exceedingly grave. Crossing the room to Ray's side, he laid his hand affectionately upon the boy's head, saying: "My son, whatever trouble has come to you, remember I do not distrust you one moment, and all that I can do for you shall be done. I have no doubt of your innocence; but the officers are here to arrest you for last night's burglary." Ray made no answer; but, bowing his head on his hands, burst into tears. "What is it, husband?" "What is it, George?" the wife and her mother exclaimed in turn. "Ray arrested for robbery! Shame on those who even think him guilty of such a thing!" cried Mrs. Woodhull, indignantly. Mr. Woodhull nodded his head, though too much overcome by his own feelings to speak; and then he waited for Ray to recover from his paroxysm of tears. After a while the lad ceased to weep, and, raising his head, looked up searchingly into Mr. Woodhull's face. His employer looked lovingly and kindly down into his tear-stained countenance, and said, gently: "Before I let the officers in, tell me, my boy, just what you may care to have me know about it. Again I repeat I believe in your innocency." "Mr. Woodhull," said Ray, earnestly and calmly now, "I _am_ innocent. I know no more than you do who broke into that store. Circumstances are all against me, however, and I do not see that I can establish my innocence. I have puzzled over it all day, and it looks darker and darker to me all the time. There is my life before I became a Christian: that is against me. Then I was at the village last night. I was there early this morning. I have no one to substantiate my statement that I was sound asleep in my boat from midnight until morning, at the very dock where the robbers must have carried off their goods. It certainly looks as if I must have been allied with them. More than all this, I lost my coat last night, in a manner strangely unaccountable to me and to any one else; and do you know"--his voice lowering almost to a whisper--"while I was in the store this morning, one of the men found on the edge of the opening in the partition, a piece of cloth that had evidently been torn from the clothing of one of the robbers as he crawled through, and it was exactly like the material of my missing coat. I can't account for it; but I knew it at once, and all day I have felt sure that I should be arrested for this crime. I don't care for myself. I am innocent, and my Saviour knows it, and I am content. But there will be so many who will believe I am guilty, that I am afraid the cause of Christ will suffer irreparable harm. But you all believe in me, and there are others who will; and God can even overrule this for my good and his glory. Tell the officers I