during the next three months frederic vernon was a rare visitor at the house of his aunt. he took apartments nearer the central part of the city, and lived like a bachelor of large means. the result was, that he overrun the income received from his aunt, though this was a very liberal one.

he applied to her to increase his allowance, but she firmly refused.

"how is it, frederic," she asked, "that you are spending so much money?"

"i don't know, aunt. i only know that the money goes."

"you must be a very poor manager."

"i have a good many friends--from the best families in chicago."

"and i suppose you entertain them frequently?"

"it is expected of me."

"i give you twice as much as you received when you were my secretary."

"then i did not have an establishment of my own."

"you ought to live well on three thousand dollars a year."

"do you live on that, aunt?"

"i keep up a large house."

"and i have an extensive suite of rooms."

"it is not necessary. what rent do you pay?"

"a thousand dollars a year."

"then you will need to engage cheaper rooms."

"won't you help me out, aunt?"

"no," answered mrs. vernon firmly.

frederic went away in ill humor.

he was never rude to robert now. indeed, he treated him with exaggerated and formal respect, which robert felt only veiled a feeling of dislike.

one evening robert sat down for a time in the lobby of a prominent hotel. he did not at first notice that frederic vernon and a tall black-whiskered man of middle age sat near him, conversing in a low tone. at length he heard something that startled him.

"is it difficult," asked frederic, "to procure the seclusion of a party who shows plain signs of insanity? i ask you as a physician."

"state your case," said his companion.

"i have an aunt," answered frederic, "a woman of fifty or more, who is acting in a very eccentric manner."

"in what way?"

"until a few months since she employed me as her private secretary. without any warning and with no excuse for the action, she discharged me, and engaged in my place a boy of sixteen, whom she had known only a day or two."

"where did she meet this boy?"

"in a large dry goods store, under peculiar circumstances. he was about to be arrested for theft when she secured his release, and engaged him as her secretary on a liberal salary."

"is he still in her employ?"

"yes. she has made him her first favorite, and it looks very much as if she intended to make him her heir."

"is she a rich woman?"

"she is probably worth quarter of a million--perhaps more."

"and you are her rightful heir?"

"yes. what do you think of that?"

"it is very hard on you."

"don't you think it is evidence of insanity?"

"it looks very much that way."

"if you can manage to procure her confinement in an asylum, i will make it worth your while, and can afford to do so. i should in that case, doubtless, have the custody of her property, and----"

robert did not hear the balance of the sentence, for the two parties arose and left the hotel, leaving him startled and shocked by the revelations of the wicked conspiracy which so seriously threatened the safety of his benefactress.

he lost no time in giving mrs. vernon information of what he had heard.

"you are quite sure of what you have told me?" she asked, with deep interest.

"certainly, mrs. vernon. why do you ask?"

"because it seemed to me incredible that frederic could be guilty of such base ingratitude. why, he is even now in receipt of an income of three thousand dollars a year from me."

"it seems very ungrateful."

"it is very ungrateful," said the widow in an emphatic tone.

"mrs. vernon," said robert, "your nephew mentioned as one evidence of your insanity your employing me as your secretary. if this is going to expose you to danger, perhaps you had better discharge me."

"give me your hand, robert," said mrs. vernon impulsively. "it is easy to see that you are a true friend, though in no way related to me."

"i hope to prove so."

"and you would really be willing that i should discharge you and take back my nephew into his old place?"

"yes."

"nothing would induce me to do it. that ungrateful young man i will never receive into a confidential and trusted position. what is the appearance of the man you saw with him?"

robert described him.

"you think he was a physician?"

"i judge so."

"probably my nephew will bring him here to see me with a view to reporting against my sanity. in that case i shall call upon you to identify him," concluded mrs. vernon.