"do you really believe this, john?" asked mrs. berry, in excitement.

"i really do, aunt. i see no other way to account for the existence of the note."

"but the signature looked like mr. berry's," said his aunt, doubtfully.

"did you examine it carefully, aunt?"

"no, i didn't," admitted mrs. berry.

"i should like to compare it with uncle's handwriting."

"i suppose mr. hall would think it strange if i should ask him to let me take it."

"yes; but he must do it, if he wants the note acknowledged."

"i have no head for business," said mrs. berry. "a child could cheat me. i wish you could stay with me and look after things."

"perhaps i can."

[281]

"but will your mother be willing?"

"i have no mother," said john.

"your stepmother, then?"

"i might as well tell you, aunt, that there has been a serious difficulty between mrs. oakley and myself, and i have left home."

"is it possible, john? didn't your stepmother treat you right?"

"i will tell you all about it, aunt, and you shall judge."

it was a long story, but, as we already know all about it, it is unnecessary to give john's account. his aunt listened attentively, and sympathized fully with john in the matter.

"you have been badly treated, john," she said. "i am sure my poor brother would feel badly enough if he could know how mrs. oakley has driven you from home. you do not mean to go back?"

"no, aunt," said john, resolutely. "until mrs. oakley restores me to my former privileges, i shall not go home."

"then you must stay here, john," said his aunt.

"if i can be of any service to you, aunt, i will."

"you can be of great service to me, john. i do not feel confidence in mr. hall, and you know why[282] i cannot be sure that he is not cheating me in the store. i want you to keep an eye upon him."

"i will go into the store as an assistant," said john. "that will give me the best opportunity."

"but you have never been used to work," said his aunt.

"i must work now. remember, aunt, mrs. oakley holds the property, and i am dependent on my own exertions."

"it is disgraceful that it should be so, john."

"but it is so. perhaps matters may come right by and by; but for the present i must work. i will go into the store, and you shall give me my board."

"you will earn more than that, john."

"if we get clear of mr. hall's note, you can do better by me. until then, let that be the arrangement."

"you don't know what a load you have lifted from my mind, john. i am very sorry that you have been driven from home; but i am very glad to have you here. martha, get ready the back bedroom for john."

"i begin to feel myself at home already," said john, brightly.

"our home is a humble one compared with the one you have left, john," said his aunt.

[283]

"but you are here, aunt, and you seem like my own mother. that will make more than the difference to me."

"i hope we can make you comfortable, john. martha, you may set the table for supper, and get john's room ready afterwards. i think he must be hungry."

"i am as hungry as a bear, aunt," said john, smiling.

in the evening martha went into the store by her mother's request, and asked mr. hall to step in after closing the store.

he did so.

"i believe you wished to see me, mrs. berry," he said.

"yes, mr. hall. will you sit down?"

"thank you." and the young man seated himself, looking furtively at mrs. berry, as if to inquire the object of his being summoned.

"mr. hall, this is my nephew, john oakley. i believe you have already met."

"yes, he came into the store," said mr. hall, glancing at john.

"he has agreed to remain here for the present, and will assist you in the store."

[284]

mr. hall looked as if he was not pleased with this intelligence.

"i do not think that i shall need any assistance," he said.

"i am surprised to hear that," said mrs. berry. "certainly you cannot expect to do alone the business which formerly required mr. berry and yourself to do."

"the business is not so large as it was," said hall.

"then you must try to bring it up to where it used to be. you must remember that i have a young family to support, and it will require an effort to do it."

"that is why i thought it would be better to save the wages of an extra clerk," said hall.

"you are considerate, especially as it would require you to work harder yourself. but my nephew knows my circumstances, and does not wish large compensation."

"has he any experience in tending store?" asked hall.

"no," said john.

"then i should have to teach you. it would be more trouble than the help i would get."

"i don't think you would find me so hard to[285] learn," said john, quietly. "i have always lived in the country, and know something about the business of a country store. i don't think i shall be long in learning."

"i agree with john," said mrs. berry.

"of course it must be as you say," said mr. hall, appearing dissatisfied; "but i hoped to save you the expense. and i cannot say i think any help necessary; or, if it were, it would be better, with all respect to mr. oakley, to take james sanford, who has had some experience at trafton."

"very well, mr. hall," said john, taking no notice of the opposition, "then i will come in to-morrow morning. what time do you open the store?"

"at six o'clock."

"won't that be rather early for you, john?" asked his aunt.

"you are making me out to be lazy, aunt," said john.

"there isn't much business early in the morning," said hall. "you need not come till seven."

"i would rather go early," said john. "i want to learn the business as soon as i can."

"did you wish to speak about anything else, mrs. berry?" said mr. hall.

[286]

"no, mr. hall; but you need not be in haste."

"thank you; i am feeling rather tired."

"good-night, then."

"good-night."

"it seems to me," said john, when they were alone, "that mr. hall did not much want me to enter the store."

"no; i was surprised at that. it must be very hard for one."

"i have my thoughts about it," said john.

"what are they?" asked his aunt.

"i will not say anything now. they may amount to nothing. but i think mr. hall is afraid i will find out something, and therefore he objects to my going into the store. i shall keep good watch, and if i find out anything i will let you know."

"i think you must be tired, john. you can go to bed when you please."

"then i think i will go now, particularly as i am to be up by six in the morning."

"never mind about to-morrow morning."

"i had better begin as i am going to hold out, aunt. good-night."

john took the lamp and entered his bedchamber with a happier and more home-like feeling than he had had for months. he felt so interested in his[287] aunt's troubles that he almost forgot that he had any of his own.

in the morning, as the village clock struck six, john stood in front of the store. a minute later, mr. hall, who boarded at a little distance, came up. he greeted john coldly, and they entered.

"now i hope you will make me useful," said john.

"you may sweep out," said hall.

"where shall i find the broom?"

hall told him and john commenced. it was new work to him, but he did it well, and then went to work to arrange things a little more neatly. occasionally he asked information of mr. hall, which was ungraciously given. still john learned rapidly, and in a fortnight had learned as much as many boys in three months.

one day, when hall was gone to dinner, john chanced to open the stove, in which there had been no fire for the summer months. it was full of papers and letters of various kinds, which had been crowded into it, as a convenient receptacle. it was so full that, on the door being opened, a considerable portion fell on the floor. john began to pick them up, and, in doing so, naturally looked at some of the papers.

[288]

all at once he started with excitement as a particular paper caught his attention. he read it eagerly, and his eyes lighted up with pleasure.

"i must show this to my aunt," he said. "i suspected that note of mr. hall's was a forgery, and now i feel sure of it."

he carefully deposited the paper in his pocket-book, and, putting back the rest of the papers, shut the stove door, and resumed his place behind the counter, just as mr. hall returned from dinner.

he little guessed that john had made a discovery of the utmost consequence to him.