The Cheated Rogue. 115 



not scruple to avail himself of the offered means of 

 detecting it. But in this he failed. At last he said 

 to the man, " I know you have the missing chain, 

 and if you will tell me how you have concealed it, it 

 shall be yours without further question." 



Upon this the fellow showed him the chain lying 

 outside his hat, but just in the turn-over of the brim, 

 which he had held in his hand while proffering this 

 very hat with an air of injured innocence for his 

 accuser to examine the lining. It was either this 

 same knave or a kindred spirit who excited the 

 cupidity of a well-to-do butcher by showing him a 

 real gold Albert chain, of good quality, at a price 

 far below its real value, which he had procured for 

 a neighbour. The butcher commissioned him to get 

 him one at a similar price, which obviously could not 

 be honestly accomplished. When some time after 

 the butcher was bragging of his chain, some one 

 pointed out to him that it was only of common 

 metal gilt. He then wished to prosecute the pedlar, 

 but his own part in the transaction had been of such 

 a character that his advisers persuaded him to let 

 the matter alone, and put up with a loss which he 

 had richly deserved. 



As Mr. Robertson by degrees acquired more and 

 more influence, he exerted himself to persuade some 

 of the poorer customers to save a penny or twopence 

 a day, or other such small sums as from time to time 

 they could well spare. These he offered to take care 

 of for them. They did not readily believe that any 

 good could come of such small economies, but some 

 of them yielded to his wishes and advice, and when 



