when tony found himself left a prisoner in his enemy’s room, he did not immediately make an effort to escape. in fact, he didn’t feel particularly alarmed.

i am in a large city, and there are other lodgers in this building. there can be no danger. i will wait a while and think over what rudolph has told me. can it be true that i am heir to a large estate in england, and that he can restore me to it if he will? he can have no motive in deceiving me. it must be true.”

tony felt that he would give a great deal to know more. where was this estate, and who now held it? it occurred to him that somewhere about the room he might find some clew to the mystery. he immediately began to explore it.

rudolph was not a literary man. he had neither books nor papers, whose telltale testimony might convict him. in fact, the best of his personal possessions was very small. a few clothes were lying about the room. tony decided to examine the pockets of these, in the hope of discovering something in his interest. finally he found in the pocket of a shooting coat a small memorandum book, in which a few entries, chiefly of bets, had been made. in these tony felt no interest, and he was about to throw down the book when his eye caught this entry:

“dead broke. must write to mrs. middleton for more money.”

tony’s heart beat rapidly.

this must be the person from whom rudolph received his income, and, by consequence, the person who was in fraudulent possession of the estate that was rightfully his.

mrs. middleton! “i wish i knew where she lives,” thought our hero. “no doubt there are hundreds of the name in england.”

this might be, but, probably, there was but one mrs. middleton in possession of an estate worth two thousand pounds rental.

i am on the track,” thought tony. “now let me get away, and consult george spencer.”

it was easier said than done. the door was locked, and it was too strong to break down.

“there must be somebody in the room below,” thought tony. “i’ll pound till they hear me.”

he jumped up and down with such force that it did attract attention in the room below. presently he heard a querulous voice at the keyhole:

“what’s the matter? are you mad?”

“no, but i’m locked in,” said tony. “can’t you let me out?”

“i have no key to the door, but the landlady has.”

“won’t you please ask her to let me out? i’ll be ever so much obliged.”

“stop pounding, then.”

“i will.”

scarcely two minutes had elapsed when a key was heard in the lock, and the door was opened.

how came you here, sir?” asked the landlady—a short, stout woman—suspiciously.

the gentleman locked me in—in a joke,” said tony.

maybe you’re a burglar,” said the landlady, eyeing him doubtfully.

tony laughed.

do i look like it?” he asked.

well, no,” the landlady admitted, “but appearances are deceitful.”

“not with me, i assure you. i am really sorry to put you to so much trouble to let me out. won’t you accept of this?” and tony produced a half sovereign.

really, sir, i see that you are quite the gentleman,” said the landlady, pocketing the piece with avidity. “can’t i do anything for you?”

“only if you’d be kind enough to give this to the gentleman when he returns.”

tony hastily wrote a line on a card, and gave it to the now complacent dame.

fifteen minutes after tony’s departure rudolph returned.

he sprang upstairs, only to find the room empty and the bird flown.

what’s come of the boy?” he exclaimed, in dismay. “how did he get out?”

he summoned the landlady quickly.

do you know anything of the boy that was in my room, mrs. jones?”

“yes, mr. rugg, i let him out. he said you locked him in for fun.”

“humph! what else did he say?”

“he left this card for you.”

rugg seized it hastily, and read with startled eyes:

“i am at morley’s. come and see me soon, or i will go to mrs. middleton.

tony.”

“confusion! where did the boy find out?” thought the tramp. “i must do something, or i am ruined.”

it was a mystery to him how tony had learned so much, and he naturally concluded that he knew a good deal more. he felt that no time was to be lost, and started at once for morley’s. inquiring for tony, he was at once admitted to the presence of tony and george spencer.

so you got my card?” said tony.

yes. what do you know about mrs. middleton?” demanded rudolph.

that she possesses the estate which ought to be mine. that’s about it, isn’t it?”

“yes,” said rudolph; “but you can’t get it without me.”

“why not?”

“i was the man that was hired to abduct you when you was a boy.”

“can you prove that?” asked spencer.

i can.”

“will your story be believed?”

“yes. the tenantry will remember me. i was one of them at the time.”

“are you ready to help my young friend here to recover his rights?” asked spencer.

this morning i said no. now i say yes, if he’ll do the fair thing by me.”

a conference was entered into, and a bargain was finally made. rudolph was to receive two hundred pounds a year as a reward for his services, if successful.

when this arrangement had been completed, an appointment was made for the next morning, at which hour a lawyer of repute was also present. after listening attentively to rudolph’s statement, he said, decisively:

“your young friend has a strong case, but i advise you to see mrs. middleton privately. it may not be necessary to bring the matter into court, and this would be preferable, as it would avoid scandal.”

“i put myself in your hands,” said tony, promptly.

mrs. harvey middleton is in london,” said the lawyer. “i will call this afternoon.”