"Thomas and I are good friends，and I'd feel like a traitor to try to get him to confess a murder.""If he is innocent，you have done no harm，"said hereldest cousin；"and if he is guilty you don't want him for your friend.""He likes you，dear，"added Beth，"and perhaps he willtell you frankly all we want to know.There's another person，though，Louise，who might tell us something.""Who is that？""The little man with the golf—ball eyes；McNutt.""Now，there's some sense in suspecting him，"exclaimed Patsy."We know he's a robber，already，and a man who is clever enough to sell Uncle John three 'Lives of the Saints'would stick at nothing，I'm sure.""He hasn't enough courage to commit a great crime，"observed Beth.
"But he may be able to give us some information，"Louise asserted；"so I propose we walk over to the town tomorrow morning and interview him."This was promptly agreed to，for even Patsy，the leastenthusiastic detective of the three，was eager to ？nd some sort of a solution of the Wegg mystery.Meantime they decided to watch Old Hucks very carefully.
Beth happened to be present when Uncle John paid Thomas his weekly wage that evening，and was interested to notice how the old man's hand trembled with eagerness as he took the money.
"How much are you accustomed to receive？"Uncle Johnhad asked.
"Nothing 'tall，sir，since Cap'n Wegg died，"was the reply."We was glad enough to have a home，Nora an'me，'thout 'spectin'wages.""And there was no one here for you to serve，"mused Uncle John."But in Captain Wegg's day，how much did he give you？"Thomas hesitated，and his smile wavered an instant.
"My old master was also my old friend，"said he，in a low voice；"an'I ast him fer little money because my needs were little.""Well，the conditions are now different，"remarkedUncle John，carelessly；"and while you are in my employ you shall have your wages regularly.Will ten dollars a week be satisfactory？""Oh，sir！""And ？ve for Nora.""You are too good，sir.I—I—""Never mind，Thomas.If you want more at any time let me know."It was then，as the old man took the fifteen dollarsextended to him，that Beth noted a ？ash in the mild blue eyes and a trembling of the horny hands.Hucks was very glad to get the money；there was little doubt of that.
She spoke of this incident to Louise，and the followingmorning they tested the man again.All three girls being present，Beth tendered Old Hucks two dollars，saying it was intended as a slight mark of her appreciation of his attention.Thomas demurreda at first，but on being urged took the money with the same eager gesture he had before displayed.Louise followed with a donation of a like sum，and Patsy gave the old man still another two dollar bill.This generosity so amazed him that tears stood in his eyes as he tried to thankthem all.It was noticed that the smile did not give way even to the tears，although it was tinged witha a pathetic expression that proved wonderfully affecting.He concealed the offerings with a stealthy motion，as if ashamed of his weakness in accepting them，and then hurried away to his work.
"Well，"said Louise，when they were alone，"is Thomas amiser or not？""He clutched the money almost as if he loved it，"observed Beth，in a musing and slightly regretful tone.
"But think how poor he has been，"pleaded Patsy，"and how destituteb both he and Nora are yet.Can we blame him for being glad to earn something substantial at last？"Somehow that did not seem to explain fully the old man's behavior，and the girl who had championed him sighed and then gave a sudden shiver as she remembered the awful suspicion that had fallen upon this strange individual.If the proof must be accepted that Hucks had miserly instincts，had not Beth accidentally stumbled upon a solution of the whole mystery？
But Patsy would not believe it.If Thomas'open counten—ance lied，it was hard to put faith in any one.
