But the exposure dropped like a thunderbolt.  He had not an instant to prepare himself.  He was caught in the act, and could explain nothing.

Mr. Warmore, upon seeing who the thief was, whispered to the detective,—­

“Leave him to me; don’t show yourself, unless he resists.”

Before the shivering rogue could make protest, the merchant, suppressing his anger, said with a coolness which surprised himself as much as it did the officer crouching a few paces away, with his hand on his revolver,—­

“We will call the amount stolen an even thousand dollars, Mr. Catherwood.  How soon will you be prepared to restore it?”

“Why—­why—­why”—­

“As a beginning, suppose you return that which you have just taken.”

Catherwood did as ordered without a word.

“Now re-lock the safe.  Be sure you have the right combination.  No one knows it besides you and me.  I will give you a week in which to send back the rest.”

G. Field Catherwood was recovering his nerve.  He was furious with himself that he had been so completely knocked out.

“Suppose I don’t choose to return it, what then?”

“It will be ten years or more in State prison.”

“Bah! you will have a sweet time proving anything against me.”

“I have a witness at hand.”

“W-w-what!”

“Give me the word and I’ll have the nippers on him before you can say Jack Robinson.”

The detective, without rising to his feet or allowing himself to be seen, uttered these words in such a sepulchral tone that they almost lifted the hair on the head of the criminal.  He started, and stared affrightedly back in the gloom.

“What do you say?” asked the merchant.

“It’s all right; it’s all right.  I’ll send it to you as soon as I can get back to the city.  Don’t be too hard on a fellow, Warmore.  I declare”—­

“Enough has been said.  Now go!”

He went.

“You are too tender-hearted,” remarked Detective Lathewood, when he and Mr. Warmore were walking homeward.

“Perhaps I am; but mean as is the man, I shuddered at the thought of disgracing and ruining him for life.”

“But it was he, not you, who does that.”

“True; I know that’s the way you officers of the law look at it.  But this is not the first time I have had dealings with young men who have yielded to temptation.  I think it is safer to err on the side of charity than that of sternness.  It is better to reform than to punish a man.”

“Do you think you have reformed that specimen?”

“Far from it; he is the most contemptible scoundrel I ever knew.  He is rich, and therefore has no excuse for stealing.  Worse than all, he tried to ruin a young man whose shoe-latchet he is not worthy to unloose.”

“So you unloose him.  But let him go.  He is certain not to trouble you or any of your family again.”