the more browning thought of the newsboy in whom he had so strangely recognized the son of the man whom he had so cruelly wronged, the more uneasy he felt.
"he has evidently heard of me," he soliloquized. "his father could not have been so near death as i supposed. he must have sent the boy or his mother a message about that money. if it should come to his knowledge that i am the thomas butler to whom his father confided ten thousand dollars which i have failed to hand over to the family, he may make it very disagreeable for me."
the fact that so many persons were able to identify him as thomas butler made the danger more imminent.
"i must take some steps--but what?" browning asked himself.
he kept on walking till he found himself passing the entrance of a low poolroom. he never played pool, nor would it have suited a man of his social position to enter such a place, but that he caught sight of a young man, whose face and figure were familiar to him, in the act of going into it. he quickened his pace, and laid a hand on the young man's shoulder.
the latter turned quickly, revealing a face bearing the unmistakable marks of dissipation.
"uncle thomas!" he exclaimed, apparently ill at ease.
"yes, stephen, it is i. where are you going?" the young man hesitated.
"you need not answer. i see you are wedded to your old amusements. are you still in the place i got for you?"
stephen webb looked uneasy and shamefaced.
"i have lost my place," he answered, after a pause.
"how does it happen that you lost it?"
"i don't know. some one must have prejudiced my employer against me."
"it is your own habits that have prejudiced him, i make no doubt."
this was true. one morning stephen, whose besetting sin was intemperance, appeared at the office where he was employed in such a state of intoxication that he was summarily discharged. it may be explained that he was a son of mr. browning's only sister.
"when were you discharged?" asked his uncle.
"last week."
"and have you tried to get another situation?"
"yes."
"what are your prospects of success?"
"there seem to be very few openings just now, uncle thomas."
"the greater reason why you should have kept the place i obtained for you. were you going to play pool in this low place?"
"i was going to look on. a man must have some amusement," said stephen, sullenly.
"amusement is all you think of. however, it so happens that i have something that i wish you to do."
stephen regarded his uncle in surprise.
"are you going to open an office in chicago?" he asked.
"no; the service is of a different nature. it is--secret and confidential. it is, i may say, something in the detective line."
"then i'm your man," said his nephew, brightening up.
"the service is simple, so that you will probably be qualified to do what i require."
"i've read lots of detective stories," said stephen, eagerly. "it's just the work i should like."
"humph! i don't think much is to be learned from detective stories. you will understand, of course, that you are not to let anyone know you are acting for me."
"certainly. you will find that i can keep a secret."
"i leave chicago to-morrow morning, and will give you directions before i go. where can we have a private conference?"
"here is an oyster house. we shall be quiet here."
"very well! we will go in."
they entered a small room, with a sanded floor, provided with a few unpainted tables.
stephen and his uncle went to the back of the room, and seated themselves at the rear table.
"we must order something," suggested stephen.
"get what you please," said browning, indifferently.
"two stews!" ordered stephen. "we can talk while they are getting them ready."
"very well! now, for my instructions. at the corner of clark and randolph streets every morning and evening you will find a newsboy selling papers."
"a dozen, you mean."
"true, but i am going to describe this boy so that you may know him. he is about fifteen, i should judge, neatly dressed, and would be considered good-looking."
"do you know his name?"
"yes, it is luke walton."
"is he the one i am to watch?"
"you are to make his acquaintance, and find out all you can about his circumstances."
"do you know where he lives?"
"no; that is one of the things you are to find out for me."
"what else do you want me to find out?"
"find out how many there are in family, also how they live; whether they have anything to live on except what this newsboy earns."
"all right, uncle thomas. you seem to have a great deal of interest in this boy."
"that is my business," said browning, curtly. "if you wish to work for me, you must not show too much curiosity. never mind what my motives are. do you understand?"
"certainly, uncle thomas. it shall be as you say. i suppose i am to be paid?"
"yes. how much salary did you receive where you were last employed?"
"ten dollars a week."
"you shall receive this sum for the present. it is very good pay for the small service required of you."
"all right, uncle."
the stews were ready by this time. they were brought and set before stephen and his uncle. the latter toyed with his spoon, only taking a taste or two, but stephen showed much more appreciation of the dish, not being accustomed, like his uncle, to dining at first-class hotels.
"how am i to let you know what i find out?" asked stephen.
"write me at milwaukee. i will send you further instructions from there."
"very well, sir."
"oh, by the way, you are never to mention me to this luke walton. i have my reasons."
"i will do just as you say."
"how is your mother, stephen?"
"about the same. she isn't a very cheerful party, you know. she is always fretting."
"has she any lodgers?"
"yes, three, but one is a little irregular with his rent."
"of course, i expect that you will hand your mother half the weekly sum i pay you. she has a right to expect that much help from her son."
stephen assented, but not with alacrity, and as he had now disposed of the stew, the two rose from their seats and went outside. a few words of final instructions, and they parted.
"i wonder why uncle thomas takes such an interest in that newsboy," thought stephen. "i will make it my business to find out."
