At that stage a door opened below with a certain emphasis, and Mr. Nicholson was seen solemnly to descend the stairs, and pass into his own apartment. Alexander followed, quaking inwardly, but with a steady face. He knocked, was bidden to enter, and found his father standing in front of the forced drawer, to which he pointed as he spoke.
"This is a most extraordinary thing," said he; "I have been robbed!"
"I was afraid you would notice it," observed his son; "it made such a beastly hash of the table."
"You were afraid I would notice it?" repeated Mr. Nicholson. "And, pray, what may that mean?"
"That I was the thief, sir," returned Alexander. "I took all the money in case the servants should get hold of it; and here is the change, and a note of my expenditure. You were gone to bed, you see, and I did not feel at liberty to knock you up; but I think when you have heard the circumstances you will do me justice. The fact is, I have reason to believe there has been some dreadful error about my brother John; the sooner it could be cleared up the better for all parties; it was a piece of business, sir--and so I took it, and decided, on my own responsibility, to send a telegram to San Francisco. Thanks to my quickness, we may hear to-night. There appears to be no doubt, sir, that John has been abominably used."
"When did this take place?" asked the father.
"Last night, sir, after you were asleep," was the reply.
"It's most extraordinary," said Mr. Nicholson. "Do you mean to say you have been out all night?"
"All night, as you say, sir. I have been to the telegraph and the police office, and Mr. MacEwen's. O, I had my hands full," said Alexander.
"Very irregular," said the father. "You think of no one but yourself."
"I do not see that I have much to gain in bringing back my elder brother," returned Alexander shrewdly.
The answer pleased the old man; he smiled. "Well, well, I will go into this after breakfast," said he.
"I'm sorry about the table," said the son.
"The table is a small matter; I think nothing of that," said the father.
"It's another example," continued the son, "of the awkwardness of a man having no money of his own. If I had a proper allowance, like other fellows of my age, this would have been quite unnecessary."