“I am certain that he brought them to me in his own manuscript.”

“Everton suspected a man named Ayres to be the author.”

“His assistant editor at the time?”

“Yes; and what is more, discharged him from his employment on the strength of this suspicion.”

“What injustice!  Ayres is as innocent as you are.”

“I am glad to hear it.  The consequences to the poor man have been very sad.  He has had no regular employment since, and his family are now suffering for even the common necessaries of life.”

“That is very bad.  Why didn’t he deny the charge when it was made against him?”

“He was never accused.  Everton took it for granted that he was guilty, and acted from this erroneous conclusion.”

“What a commentary upon hasty judgments!  Has he no employment now?”

“None.”

“Then I will give him a situation.  I know him to be competent for the place I wish filled; and I believe he will be faithful.”

Here the interview ceased, and the gentleman who had taken the pains to sift out the truth returned to Everton’s office.

“Well,” said he, on entering, “I believe I have got to the bottom of this matter.”

“What matter?” asked Everton, looking slightly surprised.

“The matter of Ayres’s supposed attack upon you.”

“Why do you say supposed?”

“Because it was only supposed.  Ayres didn’t write the article of which you complain.”

“How do you know?”

“I’ve seen the editor of the Gazette.”

“Did he say that Ayres was not the author?”

“He did.”

“Who wrote it then?”

“A man named Tompkins, who was at the time employed in his office.”

Everton sprang from his chair as if he had been stung.

“Tompkins!” he exclaimed.

“So he says.”

“Can it be possible!  And I have the viper in my employment.”

“You have?”

“Yes; he has filled the place of Ayres nearly ever since the latter was dismissed from my office.”

“Then you have punished the innocent and rewarded the guilty.”

“So much for taking a thing for granted,” said Everton, as he moved, restlessly, about the floor of his office.

So soon as the editor of the——­Journal was alone, he sent for Tompkins, who was in another part of the building.  As the young man entered his office, he said to him, in a sharp, abrupt manner,—­

“Do you remember certain articles against me that appeared in the Gazette a few months ago?”

The young man, whose face became instantly red as scarlet, stammered out that he did remember them.

“And you wrote them?”

“Ye—­ye—­yes; bu—­but I have regretted it since, very much.”

“You can put on your hat and leave my employment as quickly as you please,” said Mr. Everton, angrily.  He had little control of himself, and generally acted from the spur of the occasion.