two days later frederic vernon called. he found his aunt with robert. the latter was writing to her dictation.

"are you well, aunt?" he asked blithely.

"yes, frederic. this is an unusual time for you to call. have you any special business with me?"

"oh, no, aunt, but i happened to be passing. i have a friend with me. will you allow me to introduce him?"

"yes."

"then i will go down and bring him up. i left him in the hall."

when her nephew left the room mrs. vernon said rapidly, "stay here, robert, when my nephew comes back. if the man with him is the same one you saw at the hotel make me a signal."

"yes, mrs. vernon."

frederic vernon entered with his companion.

"aunt," he said, "let me introduce my friend mr. remington. remington, my aunt, mrs. vernon."

mrs. vernon bowed formally, and did not seem to see the outstretched hand of her nephew's companion. she scrutinized him carefully, however.

"are you a business man, mr. remington?" she asked.

"no, madam," answered remington hesitatingly.

"professional then?"

"my friend remington is a physician," said frederic. "i should have introduced him as dr. remington."

"perhaps you are a patient of his?"

"oh, no," laughed frederic. "i don't need any medical services."

"nor i," said mrs. vernon quickly.

"by the way," said frederic, turning toward robert, "this is mr. frost, my aunt's private secretary."

dr. remington surveyed our hero closely.

"he is young for so important a position," he said.

"yes, he is young, but competent and reliable," answered mrs. vernon.

"no doubt, no doubt! probably you have known him for a long time, and felt justified in engaging him, though so young."

"certainly i felt justified," said mrs. vernon haughtily.

"oh, of course, of course."

the conversation continued for a few minutes, mrs. vernon limiting herself for the most part to answering questions asked by her nephew. she treated the stranger with distant coldness.

presently frederic vernon arose.

"we mustn't stay any longer, remington," he said. "we interrupted my aunt, and must not take up too much of her time."

"you are right," said the doctor. "mrs. vernon, i am very glad to have made your acquaintance."

mrs. vernon bowed politely, but did not otherwise acknowledge the compliment.

"good-by, aunt," said frederic lightly. "i will call again soon."

"when you find time," she answered coldly.

"good-by, robert," said frederic, in an affable tone.

robert bowed.

"well, remington," said frederic when they emerged into the street. "what do you say?"

"i say that your aunt treated us both with scant courtesy."

"she reserves that for young frost, her secretary. he is first favorite, and is working to make himself her heir."

"we will put a spoke in his wheel," said the physician. "i shall have no hesitation in giving you a certificate of your aunt's probable insanity."

"good! i will see that you are properly compensated."

"that sounds very well, frederic, but is too indefinite."

"what do you want, then?"

"if through my means your aunt is adjudged insane, and you come into her fortune, or get control of her estate, i want ten thousand dollars."

"isn't that rather steep?"

"you say mrs. vernon is worth at least quarter of a million?"

"i judge so."

"then what i ask is little enough. you must remember that i must get another doctor to sign with me."

"very well, i agree," answered vernon after a pause.

"then i will undertake it. be guided by me, and success is sure."

when the pair of conspirators had left her presence mrs. vernon remained for a short time silent and thoughtful. robert watched her anxiously.

"i hope," he said, "you do not think there is cause for alarm."

"i do not know," she answered. "i am not so much alarmed as disgusted. that my own nephew should enter into such a plot is enough to destroy one's confidence in human nature."

"if my going away would lessen the danger----"

"no; i shall need you more than ever. i am not prepared to say just yet what i shall do, but i shall soon decide. we will stop work for this afternoon. i am going downtown to see my lawyer. i shall not need you till tea-time."

she left the room, and robert, availing himself of his leisure, left the house also.

he was destined to a surprise.

on state street, near the palmer house, an hour later he came face to face with his step-father, now in the city for the first time since his illness. robert had held no communication with the family since obtaining his new position, and james talbot did not know where he was.

"robert frost!" he exclaimed in genuine surprise.

"mr. talbot," said robert coldly.

"are you still living in chicago?" asked his step-father curiously.

"yes, sir. is my mother well?"

"as well as she can be, considering the waywardness of her son."

"what do you mean by that?" demanded robert with spirit. "my only waywardness consists in resenting your interference with my liberty."

"i was only exercising my right as your step-father."

"my mother's act has made you my step-father, but i don't admit that it gives you the right to order me about."

"it is very sad to see you so headstrong," said james talbot, in a mournful tone.

"don't trouble yourself about me, mr. talbot. i feel competent to regulate my own affairs."

"i suppose you are working in some way?" said talbot inquiringly.

"yes, sir."

"i heard you had left gray's office. for whom are you working? are you in a store?"

"no, sir."

"you seem well-dressed. i hope you are doing well?"

"yes."

"have you any message for your mother?"

"tell her i will write to her again soon. i ought to have done so before."

"you had better go home with me; i invite you to do so."

"i do not care to be under the same roof with you."

"it is sad, indeed, to see a boy of your age so refractory."

"don't borrow any trouble on my account, mr. talbot. i will go home on one condition."

"what is that?"

"that you will leave the house."

"this is very improper and disrespectful. of course i cannot do that. i shall remain to comfort and care for your mother."

"then there is no more to say. good-day, sir."

robert bowed slightly, and passed on.

"i wish i knew what he was doing, and where he is employed," said talbot to himself. "i would let his employer know how he has behaved to me. i wish he might lose his place and be compelled to sue for pardon."

when robert met mrs. vernon at the supper table she said to him, "robert, i have some news for you."

"what is it, mrs. vernon?"

"we start for new york to-morrow. we sail for liverpool on saturday."