frederic vernon was much put out to think that his aunt had gone to england instead of to california.

"what do you think of this?" he asked of dr. remington.

"i think your aunt wanted to put you off the track," replied the physician.

"that she had no idea of going to california, even at first?"

"that's it."

"do you think she suspects what we intend to do?"

"perhaps," was the dry reply. "insane people are quite crafty, you know."

"oh, she must be insane, remington."

"well, i am willing to give a certificate to that effect, and i can get another doctor to back me up."

"but we can't touch her in england, can we?"

"i think not. you must try some means of getting her back to the united states."

"that is easy enough to say, but not so easy to do," returned frederic vernon gloomily.

"make it necessary for her to return."

"how can i?"

"do you know how her capital is invested?"

"in various investments,--banks, stocks, and bonds, besides some real estate."

"why not write to her, saying that some of her money is in danger of being lost, and that she must return at once in order to take the necessary steps to save it?"

"by jove, but that's a good idea!" ejaculated frederic vernon. "remington, you have a long head on you. i'll write the letter at once."

"you must be very careful how you word it, otherwise she may smell a mouse, as the saying is."

"yes, i'll look her interests up first and find out how they stand. i had a list which i kept after giving up being her secretary."

"then you ought to be able to compose a first-rate letter."

"but how will i send it? i am not supposed to know where she is."

"tell her you saw the notice in the newspaper."

"to be sure--i didn't think of that."

on returning to his bachelor apartments frederic vernon looked over the papers he had kept, which should have been turned over to robert, and found that his aunt owned thirty thousand dollars' worth of stock of the great lakes lumber company, whose principal place of business was in chicago. this stock had once dropped, but was now worth a little above par value.

"this will do," he murmured to himself, and sitting down to his desk, penned the following letter:

"my dearest aunt:

"i was very much surprised to learn about a week ago that you had left chicago for parts unknown. i suppose you are off on a little trip, and do not want to be worried about business or anything else. i thought you were in california, and was much surprised to see, by the new york herald, that you are in london.

"i called at your home to tell you about the great lakes lumber company. quite by accident i overheard a talk between the president of the concern and some stockholders, and learned that they intend to freeze out some of the other stockholders, including yourself. i heard the president say, 'we'll get that woman out, even if we don't get anybody else out.'

"under such conditions, i would advise you to return to chicago at once, and then i will tell you all of the details, so that you can proceed against the company without delay and save yourself.

"i am in the best of health, and about to accept a fine business opening with one of the leading railroads. i trust you are also well, and that your ocean trip does you a world of good.

"devotedly your nephew,

"frederic vernon."

"there, what do you think of that?" asked vernon of remington, when the two met on the following morning.

"it's pretty strong," was the physician's answer. "if the president of that company got hold of the letter he could make you sweat for it."

"but he shan't get hold of it. as soon as my aunt comes back, i'll confiscate the letter,--and i'll look to you to do the rest."

"i am ready to do all i can. if we work the deal properly, we'll have her in a private asylum inside of forty-eight hours after she returns."

the letter was duly addressed to mrs. vernon, in care of the charing cross hotel, london, and frederic carried it down to the post-office so that it might start on its long journey without delay.

"i suppose i'll have to wait at least two weeks now," said vernon dolefully. "it's a long time, but it cannot be helped."

he was waiting patiently for the time to come when he might draw his allowance from mr. farley.

promptly on the day it was due he called at the lawyer's office.

he expected seven hundred and fifty dollars--a quarter of his yearly allowance of three thousand dollars, but instead, mr. farley offered him a hundred and fifty dollars.

"why, what does this mean?" demanded the young man, who could scarcely believe the evidence of his eyesight.

"you ought to know better than i, mr. vernon," replied the lawyer quietly.

"don't i get my usual allowance?"

"no; mrs. vernon has instructed me to give you a hundred and fifty dollars monthly after this."

"why, that is only eighteen hundred a year!"

"you are right, sir."

"but i was getting three thousand."

for answer to this mr. farley merely shrugged his shoulders.

"it is an outrage!" went on the young man.

"if you don't want to take the money you don't have to," said the lawyer coldly. he was utterly disgusted with frederic vernon's manner.

"i'll have to take it," groaned vernon. "but how i am to live on a hundred and fifty a month i don't know."

"at your age i would have been glad to have had half that amount per month, mr. vernon."

"you were not in society as i am, mr. farley."

"you are right there--and i am glad of it."

"i don't think my aunt has any right to cut me down in this fashion."

"is she called upon to allow you anything?"

the shot told, and frederic vernon's face grew red.

"i am her nearest relative."

"i know that."

"blood ought to count for something."

"i agree with you."

"i have always done my best to further my aunt's interests."

"you were her secretary for awhile, i believe."

"i was, until she took in an upstart of a boy in my place."

"young frost seems to be a nice young man."

"he is a snake in the grass. he has prejudiced my aunt against me."

"i know nothing about that."

"then you cannot possibly let me have more money?" asked vernon, as he arose to go.

"no; i cannot. will you sign for the check or not?"

"i will sign," was the desperate answer, and, having done so, the young man took the check and hurried off with it.

"matters have come to a pretty pass," he hissed between his set teeth when on the street once more. "who knows but what she'll soon cut me off altogether. i hope she comes home as soon as she gets my letter, and that we get her into a private asylum without any trouble."