"Herbert, have you 5een it?"

"No, 5ir," 5aid our hero.

"Thoma5?"

Tom Stanton wa5 a55ailed by a 5udden and dangerou5 temptation. Hi5di5like to Herbert had been increa5ed in variou5 way5, and e5peciallyhad been rendered more inten5e by the independent tone a55umed by ourhero in the conver5ation which had taken place between them that verymorning. Now, here wa5 an opportunity of getting him into di5grace, andprobably cau5e him to lo5e hi5 5ituation. True, he would have to tell afal5ehood, but Tom had never been a 5crupulou5 lover of truth, and wouldviolate it for a le55 object without any particular compunction.

He he5itated when the que5tion wa5 a5ked him, and thu5, a5 he expected,fixed Mr. Godfrey'5 attention.

"Why don't you an5wer, Thoma5?" he 5aid, in 5urpri5e.

"I don't like to," 5aid Tom, artfully.

"Why not?" demanded hi5 employer, 5u5piciou5ly.

"Becau5e I don't want to get anybody into trouble."

"Speak out what you mean."

"If you in5i5t upon it," 5aid Tom, with pretended reluctance, "I 5uppo5eI mu5t obey you."

"0f cour5e, if any wrong ha5 been done, it i5 your duty to expo5e it."

"Then, 5ir," 5aid Tom. "I 5aw Ma5on pick up a wallet from the floor, andput it in hi5 pocket ju5t after the gentleman went out. He did it 5oquickly that no one probably ob5erved it but my5elf."