"We don"t know. "Put not your trust in princes," in our day and nation, might read, "Put not your trust in young men.""
"Why do you say all this, father?" asked Nellie, anxiously. "Has Don John done anything wrong; or is he suspected of doing anything wrong?"
"He is at least suspected," replied Captain Patterdale.
"Why, father!"
"You need not be in haste to condemn him, or even to think ill of him, Nellie."
"I certainly shall not."
"There is the white cross of Denmark," added the captain, holding up the bank bill which had told him such a terrible story about the boat-builder.
"What is it, father? It looks like a bank note."
"It is; but there is the white cross of Denmark on it."
"I don"t understand what you mean."
"I only mean that these white slips of paper make the bill look like the flag of Denmark."
Nellie took the bill and examined it.
"It has been torn into four pieces and mended," said she.
"That is precisely how it happens to be the white cross of Denmark. Do you think, if you had ever seen that bill before, you would recognize it again, if it fell into your hands?" added the captain.
"Certainly I should."
"Well, it has been in my hands before. Do you remember the day that Michael had the sun-stroke?"
"Yes, sir; and your tin box disappeared that day."
"Precisely so; and this bill was in that tin box. Jacob Hasbrook, of Lincolnville, paid me a note. I put the money in the box, intending to take it over to the bank before night, and deposit it the next day. I looked at the bill when I counted the money, and I spoke to Hasbrook about it. I called it the white cross of Denmark then."
"Where did you get it now?" inquired Nellie, her heart in her throat with anxiety.
"Mr. Leach, the sail-maker, paid it to me just before you came into the library."
"Mr. Leach!" exclaimed she, permitting herself to be cheered by a ray of hope that her father was not working up a case against Donald Ramsay.
"Yes; you remember who were in the library on the day I lost the tin box."
"I remember very well; for all of you went out and carried Michael into the house. Besides we talked about the box ever so long. You asked me who had been in the library while you were up stairs; and I told you Mr.
Hasbrook, Laud Cavendish, and Don John."
"Precisely so; I remember it all very distinctly. Now, one of the bills that was in that box comes back to me."
"But it was paid to you by Mr. Leach."
"It was; but he had it from Don John half an hour before he paid it to me."
"Why, father!" exclaimed Nellie, with real anguish; for even a suspicion against Donald was a shock to her. "I can never believe it!"
"I don"t wish you to believe anything yet; but you may as well be prepared for anything an investigation may disclose."
"That Don John should steal!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Nellie. "Why, we all considered him the very soul of honor!"
"You are getting along faster than I do with your conclusions, child,"
added Captain Patterdale. "A suspicion is not proof. The bill came from him, beyond a doubt. But something can be said in his favor, besides the statement that his character is excellent. Of the three persons who were in the library that day, two of them had wagons on the street. It does not seem probable that Don John walked through the city with that tin box in his hand. If he did, some one must have seen it. Of course he would not have carried it openly, while it could easily have been concealed in the wagon of Hasbrook or Laud Cavendish."
"Certainly; if Don John had taken it, he would not have dared to carry it through the streets," added Nellie, comforted by the suggestion.
"Again, if he had stolen this white cross of Denmark, he would not have been likely to pa.s.s it off here in Belfast," continued the captain; "for he is sharp enough to see that it would be identified as soon as it appeared. Very likely Mr. Leach told him he intended to pay me some money, and he surely would not have allowed the bill to come back to me."
"I know he didn"t do it," cried Nellie, with enthusiasm.
"You are too fast again, child. It is possible that he did, however improbable it may seem now, for rogues often make very silly blunders.
Is Edward in the house?"
"I think so; he was reading the _Age_ when I came in."
"Tell him to go down and ask Don John to come up and see me. We will have the matter cleared up before we sleep. But, Nellie, don"t tell Edward what I want to see Don John for. Not a word about that to any one. By keeping my own counsel, I may get at the whole truth; whereas the thief, if he gets wind of what I am doing, may cover his tracks or run away."
"I will be very discreet, father," replied Nellie, as she left the library.
In a few moments she returned.
"He has gone, father; though he is very tired," said she.
"I suppose he is; but I don"t want to believe that Don John is a thief even over one night," replied the captain.
"He asked me what you wanted of Don John; but I didn"t tell him."
The father and daughter discussed the painful suspicion until Donald arrived, and entered the library with Edward. A conversation on indifferent topics was continued for some time, and the boat-builder wondered if he had been sent for to talk about the launch of the Maud, which was now an old story.
"How is the wind, Edward?" asked Captain Patterdale.
""Sou"-sou"-west, half west," laughed Edward, who understood precisely what his father meant by his question; and bidding Donald good night, he left the library, without the formality of saying he would go and see which way the wind was.
"You know which way the wind is, Nellie; and so you need not leave,"
added the captain, as she rose from her seat to follow the example of her brother.
"So did Ned, for he told you," she answered.
"And you heard him, and know also."
When Captain Patterdale had private business with a visitor, and he wished any member of his own family to retire, he always asked which way the wind was.