Ford addressed a letter to Mr. Reynolds, requesting a certificate of good character, which would enable him to procure a new situation.

To this request the broker answered substantially as follows: 

“I shall be glad to hear that you have changed your course, and have decided to lead an honest lift; but, for the same reason that I am not willing to retain you in my employment, I am unwilling to recommend you without reserve to another business man.  If you are willing to refer him to me, on condition that I tell the truth, I will cheerfully testify that you have discharged your office duties to my satisfaction.”

“The old fool!” muttered Ford, angrily crushing the letter in his hand.  “What use would such a recommendation be to me?  Not content with discharging me, he wants to keep me out of employment.”

In truth, Willis Ford hardly knew where to turn.  He had saved no money, and was earning nothing.  In his dilemma he turned to his stepmother.

One forenoon, after he knew the broker and Grant would be out of the way, he rang the bell, and inquired for the housekeeper.

Mrs. Estabrook was agitated when she saw her step-son.  She did not like to believe that he had robbed her, but it was hard to believe otherwise.

“Oh, Willis!” she said almost bursting into tears, “how could you take my small savings?  I would not have believed you capable of it!”

“You don’t mean to say, mother,” returned Willis, with well-dissembled and reproachful sorrow, “that you believe this monstrous slander?”

“I don’t want to believe it, Willis, heaven knows.  But were not the bonds found in your room?”

“I admit it,” said Ford; “but how did they get there?”

“Did you not put them there?”

“Certainly not, mother.  I thought you knew me better than that.”

“But who, then—­” began his step-mother, looking bewildered.

“Who should it be but that boy?”

“Grant Thornton?”

“Yes.”

“Have you any proof of this?” asked the housekeeper, eagerly.

“I will tell you what I have found out.  I learn that a boy called, on the day in question, at my room and asked to see me.  Being told that I was out, he asked leave to go up and wait for me.  As the servant had no suspicion, he was allowed to go up.  I don’t know how long he stayed; but no doubt he had the bonds with him and concealed them where they were found.”

“Did you ask for a description of the boy?  Was it like Grant?” asked the housekeeper, quickly.

“Unfortunately, the girl did not take particular notice of him.  I have no doubt that it was either Grant or the telegraph boy, who seems to have been in the plot."’

Now, this story was an audacious fiction, and should not have imposed upon a person of ordinary intelligence; but the housekeeper was anxious to believe her step-son innocent and Grant guilty.  She therefore accepted it without question, and was loud in her denunciation of that “artful young rascal.”