``uncle,'' said john wade, ``you spoke of invitingfrank fowler to occupy a room in the house. whydon't you do it? it would be more convenient toyou and a very good chance for him.''

``i should like it,'' said mr. wharton, ``but mrs.

bradley did not seem to regard it favorably wheni suggested it.''

``oh, mrs. bradley is unused to boys, and she isafraid he would give her trouble. i'll undertake tobring her around.''

``i wish you would, john. i don't think frankwould give any trouble, and it would enliven thehouse to have a boy here. besides, he reminds me ofgeorge, as i told you the other day.''

``i agree with you, uncle,'' he said. ``he doesremind me a little of george.''

``well, mrs. bradley, what do you think i havedone?'' asked john, entering the housekeeper's roomdirectly after his interview with his uncle.

``i don't know, mr. john,'' she answered.

``i have asked him to give that boy a room in thehouse.''

``are you carried away with him as well as youruncle?''

``not quite. the fact is, i have a motive in whati am doing. i'll tell you.''

he bent over and whispered in her ear.

``i never should have thought of that.''

``you see, our purpose is to convince my unclethat he is unworthy of his favor. at present thatwould be rather difficult, but once get him into thehouse and we shall have no trouble.''

``i understand.''

in due time john wade announced to his unclethat the housekeeper had withdrawn her objectionsto his plan.

``then i'll tell him to-night,'' said mr. wharton,brightening up.

shortly after frank entered the library thatevening mr. wharton made the proposal.

``you are very kind, mr. wharton,'' he said. ``inever thought of such a thing.''

``then it is settled that you are to come. youcan choose your own time for coming.''

``i will come to-morrow, sir.''

``very well,'' said mr. wharton, with satisfaction.

the next day, by special favor, frank got off fromthe store two hours earlier than usual. he boughtat a sixth avenue basement store, a small, secondhand trunk for two dollars. he packed his scantywardrobe into the trunk, which, small as it was hewas unable to fill, and had it carried to mr. wharton'shouse.

he asked to see mrs. bradley, and she came tothe door.

``i am glad to see you,'' she said graciously. ``youmay leave your trunk in the hall and i will have itcarried up by the servants.''

``thank you,'' said frank, and he followed thehousekeeper up the handsome staircase.

``this is to be your room,'' said the housekeeper,opening the door of a small chamber on the thirdfloor.

``it looks very nice and comfortable,'' said frank,looking about him with satisfaction.

she left the room, and five minutes later our hero'smodest trunk was brought up and deposited in theroom.

that evening frank read to mr. wharton as usual.

when nine o'clock came he said:

``you need not read aloud any more, but if you seeany books in my library which you would like toread to yourself you may do so. in fact, frank,you must consider yourself one of the family, andact as freely as if you were at home.''

``how kind you are to me, mr. wharton,'' saidfrank.

the next morning after frank had left the housefor his daily task, john wade entered the housekeeper's room.

``the boy is out of the way now, mrs. bradley,''

he said. ``you had better see if you have a key thatwill unlock his trunk.''

the two conspirators went upstairs, and togetherentered frank's room.

mrs. bradley brought out a large bunch of keys,and successively tried them, but one after anotherfailed to open it.

``that's awkward,'' said john wade. ``i have afew keys in my pocket. one may possibly answer.''

the housekeeper kneeled down, and made a trialof john wade's keys. the last one was successful.

the cover was lifted, and the contents weredisclosed. however, neither john nor mrs. bradleyseemed particularly interested in the articles forafter turning them over they locked the trunk oncemore.

``so far so good,'' said john wade. ``we havefound the means of opening the trunk when weplease.''

``when do you expect to carry out your plan, mr.

john?''

``two weeks from this time my uncle is obligedto go to washington for a few days on business.

while he is gone we will spring the trap, and whenhe comes back he will find the boy gone in disgrace.

we'll make short work of him.''