"mr. browning is a man of very peculiar appearance," said kean.

"you refer to the wart on the upper part of his right cheek?"

"yes, it gives him a repulsive look."

"and yet he is popular in milwaukee?"

"yes, among those who were not swindled by his mining scheme. he has done more harm than he can ever repair. for instance," added the young man, bitterly, "this crime which i have committed--i will call it by its right name--i was impelled to do by my mother's poverty, brought on by him."

"how does it happen that you are not at the office to day?"

"i felt sick--sick at heart, rather than sick in body, and i sent word to my employer that i could not be there. i dread entering the office, for at any time exposure may come."

"if you could only raise the fifty dollars, you could replace the money before it was inquired for."

ambrose kean shook his head.

"i can't possibly raise it," he said, despondently.

"i would let you have it if i possessed as much money, but, as you may suppose, i am poor."

"i am no less grateful to you, luke. you have a good heart, i am sure. you don't despise me?"

"no, why should i?"

"i have been guilty of a crime."

"but you are sorry for it. is there positively no one with whom you are acquainted who is rich enough to help you?"

"there is one lady in chicago--a rich lady--who was a schoolmate of my mother. she was older and in better circumstances, but they were good friends."

"who is this lady?"

"a mrs. merton."

"mrs. merton!" exclaimed luke, in excitement. "of prairie avenue?"

"yes; i believe she lives there."

"why, i know her--i am in her employ," said luke.

ambrose kean stared at luke in open amazement.

"is this true?" he asked.

"yes."

"is she a kind lady? do you think she would help me in this trouble of mine?"

"she is very kind-hearted, as i know from my own experience. i will go to her at once, and see what i can do."

ambrose kean grasped luke's hand with fervor.

"you are a friend sent from heaven, i truly believe," he said. "you have given me hope of retrieving myself."

"i will leave you for a time," said luke. "there is no time to be lost."

"i shall be full of anxiety till i see you again."

"be hopeful. i think i shall bring you good news."

when luke reached the house on prairie avenue he was about to ring the bell when harold tracy opened the door.

"you here again!" he said, in a tone of displeasure. "weren't you here this morning?"

"yes."

"did aunt eliza ask you to come this afternoon?"

"no."

"then what brings you?"

"business," answered luke, curtly, and he quietly entered the hall, and said to a servant who was passing through, "will you be kind enough to ask mrs. merton if she will see me?"

"well, you're cheeky!" ejaculated harold, who had in tended to keep him out.

"as long as mrs. merton doesn't think so, i shall not trouble myself," said luke, coldly.

"sooner or later aunt eliza will see you in your true colors," said harold, provoked.

"i think she does now."

at this moment the servant returned.

"you are to go upstairs," she said. "mrs. merton will see you."

the old lady was sitting back in an easy-chair when luke entered. she smiled pleasantly.

"this is an unexpected pleasure," she said, "this after-noon call."

"i will tell you at once what brought me, mrs. merton."

"it isn't sickness at home, i hope?"

"no, i came for a comparative stranger."

then luke told the story of ambrose kean, his sudden yielding to temptation, his repentance and remorse.

"i am interested in your friend," said mrs. merton. "you say he appropriated fifty dollars?"

"yes, but it was to help his mother."

"true, but it was a dangerous step to take. it won't be considered a valid excuse."

"he realizes all that. his employer is a just but strict man, and if the theft is discovered kean will be arrested, and, of course, convicted."

"and you think i will help him? is that why you have come to me with this story?"

"i don't think i would have done so if he had not mentioned you as an old friend and schoolmate of his mother."

"what's that?" added mrs. merton, quickly. "his mother an old schoolmate of mine?"

"that is what he says."

"what was her name before marriage?"

"mary robinson."

"you don't say so!" mrs. merton exclaimed with vivacity. "why, mary was my favorite at school. and this young man is her son?

"i would have helped him without knowing this, but now i won't hesitate a moment. mary's boy! you must bring him here. i want to question him about her."

"i can tell you something about her. she lost her money by investing in a california mine--i think it was the excelsior mine."

"she, too?"

luke looked surprised. he did not understand the meaning of this exclamation.

"i have a thousand shares of that worthless stock myself," continued the old lady. "it cost me two thousand dollars, and now it is worth nothing."

"the one who introduced the stock was a mr. browning, of milwaukee."

"i know. he was an unscrupulous knave, i have no doubt. i could afford the loss, but hundreds invested, like poor mary, who were ruined. is the man living, do you know?"

"yes, he is living in milwaukee. he is rich, and is prominently spoken of as a candidate for mayor."

"if he is ever a candidate i will take care that his connection with this swindling transaction is made known. a man who builds up a fortune on the losses of the poor is a contemptible wretch, in my opinion."

"and mine, too," said luke. "it is very strange that he answers the description of a man who cheated our family out of ten thousand dollars."

"indeed! how was that?"

luke told the story, and mrs. merton listened with great interest.

"so all corresponds except the name?"

"yes."

"he may have changed his name."

"i have thought of that. i mean to find out some time."

"i won't keep you any longer. your friend is, no doubt, in great anxiety. i have the money here in bills. i will give them to you for him."

mrs. merton was in the act of handing a roll of bills to luke when the door opened suddenly, and mrs. tracy entered.

she frowned in surprise and displeasure when she saw her aunt giving money to "that boy," as she contemptuously called him.