Mrs. Crawford tossed her head.
"I don't know anything about you," she replied.
"Dr. Crawford, am I to open the trunk?"
asked Gilbert.
"No," answered the doctor, with unwonted decision.
"I hate that boy! He has twice subjected
me to mortification," thought Mrs. Crawford.
"You know very well," she said, turning to
her husband, "that I have grounds for my
request. I blush to mention it, but I have
reason to believe that your son took a wallet
containing twenty-five dollars from my bureau
drawer."
"I deny it!" said Gilbert.
"What do you know about it, I should like
to ask?" sneered Mrs. Crawford.
"I know that Carl is an honorable boy,
incapable of theft, and at this moment has but
thirty-seven cents in his possession."
"So far as you know."
"If the money has really disappeared, madam,
you had better ask your own boy about it."
"This is insufferable!" exclaimed Mrs. Crawford,
her light eyes emitting angry flashes.
"Who dares to say that Peter took the wallet?"
she went on, rising to her feet.
There was an unexpected reply. Jane entered
the room at this moment to ask a question.
"I say so, ma'am," she rejoined.
"What?" ejaculated Mrs. Crawford, with
startling emphasis.
"I didn't mean to say anything about it till
I found you were charging it on Master Carl.
I saw Peter open your bureau drawer, take
out the wallet, and put it in his pocket."
"It's a lie!" said Mrs. Crawford, hoarsely.
"It's the truth, though I suppose you don't
want to believe it.
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