the adventurer turned swiftly when he heard mark's startling question. he seemed astounded at the boy's audacity.

"what did you say?" he demanded with hauteur.

"i asked you to return the purse which you took from a young lady in the second car back," repeated mark calmly.

"boy," said the false minister, "you must be insane or drunk."

"i don't think i am either," returned mark.

"what do you mean by such nonsense, then? are you aware that i am a minister of the gospel?"

"where do you preach?"

"it is of no consequence," said the other loftily. "i am not in habit of being insulted by whipper-snappers like you."

"are you in the habit of taking young ladies' purses, mr.——"

"rev. mr. buffington is my name, young man."

"then, mr. buffington, will you answer my question?"

"i shall be tempted to forget my sacred profession and throw you out of the car," said the pseudo minister, looking very unclerical as he spoke.

"i have no doubt you would like to do so."

"you ought to be thrashed for your impertinence."

"suppose you call the conductor and complain of me. you may tell your story and i will tell mine."

this suggestion seemed fair enough, but it did not appear to strike the rev. mr. buffington favorably.

"i do not care to notice the foolish insolence of a half grown boy," and the pseudo clergyman, taking a paper from his lap, half turned away from mark, and began to read, or appeared to do so.

mark, however, did not propose to be bluffed off in this manner.

"mr. buffington," he said resolutely, "i am a boy, but i know what i am about. you took the young lady's purse. before you sat down beside her she had it in her pocket. when you left the car it was gone."

"if i ever get you alone," said buffington in a low tone of concentrated rage.

"if you do, i hope you won't forget your sacred profession."

"i am a minister, but i am also a gentleman, and i shall resent an insult."

"look here," said mark, getting out of patience, "either you give me back that purse for the young lady or i will call the conductor and lay the matter before him."

"rev." mr. buffington tried to turn mark from his purpose by threats, but he was evidently alarmed. he was conscious of guilt, and he knew how such an appeal would end for him.

mark saw him waver, and followed up his advantage.

"there was only about five dollars in the purse," he said, "and it won't pay you to keep it. if you give it up without further trouble i won't expose you. what do you say?"

mr. buffington looked in mark's resolute face and he saw that he was in serious earnest. he felt that he was in the boy's power, and much as it galled him, he decided that he must yield.

"it is possible, of course, that the young lady in handling the purse, may have dropped it into my pocket," he said. "i will search for it, and if that is the case it shall be returned."

he thrust his hand into his pocket and drew out the purse.

"i wouldn't have believed it," he murmured. "it is a most extraordinary incident. is this the young lady's purse?"

mark took it, and opening it, saw that it contained three dollars in bills, and a dollar and seventy-five cents in silver.

"yes, sir," he said; "this answers the description."

"give it back to the young lady with my compliments," said buffington with unabashed assurance. "express my regrets at the unfortunate mistake. i now remember how it occurred. i saw the purse on the floor where she had doubtless dropped it, and supposing it to be my own put it into my pocket. i was so busily engaged, reading the volume of sermons which i carry with me that it made little impression on my mind."

"i will tell her what you say, mr. buffington," said mark gravely.

of course he might have expressed doubt of the accuracy of his companion's statement, but he had accomplished his purpose, and did not care to humiliate buffington farther.

"good morning, young man," said buffington with christian forgetfulness of mark's errand.

"good morning, sir."

when mark had left the car buffington's face underwent a change. he looked absolutely ferocious.

"to think i should have been trapped and worsted by a kid!" he said to himself. "the boy is about as cool and resolute as any i ever saw. i hope i shall some day have a chance to get even with him."

mark returned to his own car and paused at miss loring's seat.

"is this your purse?" he asked, holding it up.

"yes. oh, where did you get it?"

"from the party who took it."

"is he on the smoking car still?"

"yes he is on the smoking car."

"but—didn't he object to surrendering it?"

"he made a decided objection, but i succeeded in convincing him that it was for his interest to do so."

"you are a remarkable boy," said florence loring admiringly.

"thank you, miss loring. you will make me vain if you flatter me."

"but i am quite in earnest. i am now able to return the money you so kindly lent me."

"are you sure you will not need it?"

"quite sure."

the hours sped fast. soon they reached the station where miss loring expected to see her niece. she went to the door of the car, and from the platform signaled to a child of eight, who returned the greeting joyfully.

"i was so afraid i should miss you, auntie," said the child.

"i have been on the lookout for you, gertie. come in at once."

of course mark vacated his seat, and aunt and niece were able to sit together. the messenger boy secured a seat a little nearer the door. he found the journey less interesting now that he was deprived of his fair companion's company.

as they were leaving the train at the cleveland station, florence said, "gertie, this is mr. mason, who has been of great service to me during the journey."

gertie surveyed mark attentively. she was an irrepressible young lady, given to plain speaking.

"he ain't your beau, is he, aunt florence?" she asked.

florence smiled and blushed.

"no," she answered. "don't you see he is younger than i am. he is better suited to be your beau."

"i've got a beau already," said the child unexpectedly.

"indeed! that is news. what's his name?"

"dan sillis. he is a nice boy."

"how old is he?"

"about fifteen."

"isn't that too old for you?"

"oh no. husbands always are older than their wives."

both mark and florence laughed.

"don't you think you could make room for another beau?" asked mark.

"no; but if i get tired of dan i won't mind taking you," responded gertie with the most perfect gravity.

"i will remember that. if we should get married your aunt florence would be my aunt too."

"can i do anything for you, miss loring?" mark asked as they reached the exterior of the depot.

"if you would be kind enough to call a cab."

mark did so, and the two young ladies entered.

"i suppose you will call if you have business with mother," said florence.

"yes; i shall call to-morrow."

mark was in doubt where to go, knowing nothing of the hotels in cleveland, but seeing a stage bearing the name "erie hotel," decided to go there.

for obvious reasons i have not given the right name of the hotel. this name will answer so far as our story goes.

he sprang in with his valise and in a few minutes was set down before a comfortable looking hotel of good size.

he entered, and registering his name was assigned to room 96.

"will you go up-stairs at once, mr. mason?" asked the clerk.

"yes, sir."

mark followed the hall boy to a room on the third floor.

"will dinner be ready soon?" he asked.

"it is on the table now, sir."

mark washed his hands and face, combed his hair, and went down-stairs. he had but one flight to descend, the dining-room being on the second floor.

even if the dinner had been an indifferent one mark would have appreciated it, for he was very hungry. when he had satisfied his appetite he had a chance to look around.

what was his surprise when a little farther down the table, on the same side, he recognized his acquaintance of the smoking car, mr. buffington!