full that on opening it a few coins rolled out on to the floor. The man
looked up abruptly.

"I thought you said you had only twenty dollars?" he remarked grimly.

"Mr. Peyton gave me forty," returned Clarence, stupefied and blushing.
"I spent twenty dollars for drinks at the bar--and," he stammered,
"I--I--I don't know how the rest came here."

"You spent twenty dollars for DRINKS?" said the man, laying down his
pen, and leaning back in his chair to gaze at the boy.

"Yes--that is--I treated some gentlemen of the stage, sir, at Davidson's
Crossing."

"Did you treat the whole stage company?"

"No, sir, only about four or five--and the bar-keeper. But everything's
so dear in California. I know that."

"Evidently. But it don't seem to make much difference with YOU," said
the man, glancing at the purse.

"They wanted my purse to look at," said Clarence hurriedly, "and that's
how the thing happened. Somebody put HIS OWN MONEY back into MY purse by
accident."

"Of course," said the man grimly.

"Yes, that's the reason," said Clarence, a little relieved, but somewhat