"i didn't know you were occupied, aunt eliza," said mrs. tracy, in a significant tone, as she paused at the door.

"my business is not private," returned the old lady. "come in, louisa."

mrs. tracy did come in, but she regarded luke with a hostile and suspicious glance.

"that is all, luke," said his patroness. "you may go. you can report to me to-morrow."

"all right, ma'am."

when luke had left the room, mrs. tracy said: "you appear to repose a great deal of confidence in that boy."

"yes; i think he deserves it."

mrs. tracy coughed.

"you seem to trust him with a great deal of money."

"yes."

"of course, i don't want to interfere, but i think you will need to be on your guard. he is evidently bent on getting all he can out of you."

"that is your judgment, is it, louisa?"

"yes. aunt eliza, since you ask me."

"he has done me a service this morning. he has brought to my notice a son of one of my old school mates who is in a strait, and i have just sent him fifty dollars."

"by that boy?"

"yes. why not?"

"are you sure the person to whom you sent the money will ever get it?"

"please speak out what you mean. don't hint. i hate hints."

"in plain terms, then, i think the boy will keep the money himself, or, at any rate, a part of it."

"i don't fear it."

"have you any more to say?"

"nothing, except to warn you against that designing boy."

"you are very kind, louisa, but i am not quite a simpleton. i have seen something of the world, and i don't think i am easily taken in."

mrs. tracy left the room, not very well satisfied. she really thought luke had designs upon the old lady's money, and was averse even to his receiving a legacy, since it would take so much from harold and herself.

"harold, when i entered your aunt's room, what do you think i saw?"

this she said to harold, who was waiting below.

"i don't know."

"aunt eliza was giving money to that boy."

"do you know how much?"

"fifty dollars."

"whew! was it for himself?"

"he came to her with a trumped-up story of an old schoolmate of aunt's who was in need of money."

"do you think he will keep it himself?"

"i am afraid so."

"what a cheeky young rascal he is, to be sure! i have no doubt you are right."

"yes; there is too much reason to think he is an unscrupulous adventurer, young as he is."

"why don't you tell aunt so?"

"i have."

"and what does she say?"

"it doesn't make the least impression upon her."

"what do you think the boy will do?"

"get her to make a will in his favor, or at least to leave him a large legacy."

harold turned pale.

"that would be robbing us," he said.

"of course it would. he wouldn't mind that, you know."

"he was very impertinent to me this morning."

"i presume so. he depends upon his favor with aunt."

"isn't there anything we can do, mother?"

"i must consider."

meanwhile luke returned at once to the room of ambrose kean. he found the young man awaiting him with great anxiety.

"what success?" he asked, quickly.

"i have got the fifty dollars," answered luke.

"thank god! i am saved!" ejaculated the young man.

"would you mind taking it round to the office with a note from me?" asked kean.

"i will do so cheerfully."

"then i shall feel at ease."

"mrs. merton would like to have you call on her. she remembered your mother at once."

"i shall be glad to do so, but shall be ashamed to meet her now that she knows of my yielding to temptation."

"you need not mind that. she also suffered from the rascality of thomas browning, and she will make allowances for you."

"then i will go some day with you."

"you had better give me a letter to take to your employer with the money."

"i will."

ambrose kean wrote the following note:

james cooper:

dear sir:--hiram crossley called at the office yesterday and paid in fifty dollars due to you. being busy, i thrust it into my pocket, and inadvertently took it with me. i think i shall be able to be at the office to-morrow, but think it best to send the money by a young friend. i gave mr. crossley a receipt.

yours respectfully, ambrose kean.

when luke reached the office, mr. cooper was conversing with a stout, broad-shouldered man, of middle age, and luke could not help hearing some of their conversation.

"you say you paid fifty dollars to my clerk, mr. crossley?" asked the merchant.

"yes."

"have you his receipt?"

"here it is."

mr. cooper examined it.

"yes, that is his signature."

"isn't he here to-day?"

"no; he sent word that he had a headache."

"and you don't find the money?"

"no."

"that is singular." and the two men exchanged glances of suspicion.

"what sort of a young man is he?"

"i never had any cause to suspect him."

"i hope it is all right."

"if it isn't, i will discharge him," said cooper, nodding emphatically.

"he probably didn't think i would be here so soon. i didn't expect to be, but a telegram summoned me to the city on other business."

of course luke understood that the conversation related to kean, and that he had arrived none too soon. he came forward.

"i have a letter for you from mr. kean," he said.

"ha! give it to me!"

mr. cooper tore open the envelope, saw the bank bills, and read the letter.

"it's all right, mr. crossley," he said, his brow clearing. "read that letter."

"i am really glad," said crossley.

"how is mr. kean?" asked cooper, in a friendly tone.

"he had a severe headache, but he is better, and hopes to be at the office to-morrow."

"tell him i shall be glad to see him, but don't want him to come unless he is really able."

"thank you, sir. i will do so." and luke left the office.

he went back to ambrose kean, and told him what had happened at the office.

"i have escaped better than i deserved," he said. "it will be a lesson to me. please tell mrs. merton that her timely aid has saved my reputation and rescued my poor mother from sorrow and destitution."

"i will, and i am sure she will consider the money well spent."

the next morning, as luke stood at his usual post, he saw thomas browning, of milwaukee, come out of the sherman house. he knew him at once by the wart on the upper part of his right cheek, which gave him a remarkable appearance.

"can there be two persons answering this description?" luke asked himself.

thomas browning came across the street, and paused in front of luke.