"here is a letter for you, luke!" said mrs. walton.

luke took it in his hand, and regarded it curiously. he was not in the habit of receiving letters.

"it is postmarked milwaukee," he said.

"do you know anyone in milwaukee?" asked his mother.

"no; or stay, it must be from mr. powell, a brother of mrs. tracy."

"probably he sends a message to his sister."

by this time luke had opened the following letter, which he read with great surprise and excitement:

dear luke:--come to milwaukee as soon as you can, and join me at the prairie hotel. i write in your own interest. there is a large sum due to your father, which i may be able to put you in the way of collecting. you had better see aunt eliza, and ask leave of absence for a day or two. if you haven't money enough to come on, let her know, and i am sure she will advance it to you.

your friend,

warner powell.

"what can it mean?" asked mrs. walton, to whom luke read the letter.

"it must refer to the ten thousand dollars which father sent to us on his dying bed."

"if it were only so!" said the widow, clasping her hands.

"at any rate, i shall soon find out, mother. i had better take the letter which was sent us, giving us the first information of the legacy."

"very well, luke! i don't know anything about business. i must leave the matter entirely in your hands.

"i will go at once to mrs. merton and ask if it will inconvenience her if i go away for a couple of days."

"do so, luke! she is a kind friend, and you should do nothing without her permission."

luke took the cars for prairie avenue, though it was afternoon, and he had been there once already. he was shown immediately into the old lady's presence.

mrs. merton saw him enter with surprise.

"has anything happened, luke?" she asked.

"i have received a letter from your nephew, summoning me to milwaukee."

"i hope he is not in any scrape."

"no; it is a very friendly letter, written in my interest. may i read it to you?"

"i shall be glad to hear it."

mrs. merton settled herself back in her rocking-chair, and listened to the reading of the letter.

"do you know what this refers to, luke?" she asked.

"yes; my father on his deathbed in california intrusted a stranger with ten thousand dollars to bring to my mother. he kept it for his own use, and it was only by an accident that we heard about the matter."

"you interest me, luke. what was the accident?"

luke explained.

"it must be this that mr. powell refers to," he added.

"but i don't see how my nephew should have anything to do with it."

"there is a man in milwaukee who answers the description of the stranger to whom my poor father intrusted his money. i have seen him, for he often comes to chicago. i have even spoken to him."

"have you ever taxed him with this breach of trust?"

"no, for he bears a different name. he is thomas browning, while the letter mentions thomas butler."

"he may have changed his name."

"i was stupid not to think of that before. there can hardly be two men so singularly alike. i have come to ask you, mrs. merton, if you can spare me for two or three days."

"for as long as you like, luke," said the old lady, promptly. "have you any money for your traveling expenses?"

"yes, thank you."

"no matter. here are twenty dollars. money never comes amiss."

"you are always kind to me, mrs. merton," said luke, gratefully.

"it is easy to be kind if one is rich. i want to see that man punished. let me give you one piece of advice. be on your guard with this man! he is not to be trusted."

"thank you! i am sure your advice is good."

"i wish you good luck, luke. however things may turn out, there is one thing that gratifies me. warner is showing himself your friend. i have looked upon him till recently as a black sheep, but he is redeeming himself rapidly in my eyes. i shall not forget his kindness to you."

as luke went downstairs he met mrs. tracy.

"here again!" said she, coldly. "did my aunt send for you this afternoon?"

"no, madam."

"then you should not have intruded. you are young, but you are very artful. i see through your schemes, you may rest assured."

"i wished to show mrs. merton a letter from your brother, now in milwaukee," said luke.

"oh, that's it, is it? let me see the letter."

"i must refer you to mrs. merton."

"he has probably sent to aunt eliza for some money," thought mrs. tracy. "he and the boy are well matched."