"aunt, you don't mean it!" gasped frederic vernon, when he felt able to speak.

"i do mean it, frederic, and it will be useless for you to argue the question," replied the lady, firmly.

"but this is a--a--all a mistake," he faltered.

"there is no mistake. and as i just said, i will not argue the question."

"you--you cast me out?"

"i do."

"but if you do that, what shall i do?"

"go to work and make a man of yourself. do that, and perhaps in time i will do something for you."

frederic vernon shook his head slowly. then he faced robert, and his proud face became black with illy-suppressed rage.

"this is your work, you young rascal----" he began, when his aunt stopped him.

"i will hear no talk like that here, frederic," she said. "robert is my best and truest friend, and you must respect him as such."

"he has done everything he could to cut me out!" howled the young spendthrift bitterly.

"that ain't so," burst out robert. "you cut yourself out. your aunt would never have discharged you had you done your work properly--she has told me that a number of times."

"i say it's a plot against me!" said frederic vernon, hardly knowing how to go on.

"frederic, you are a very foolish young man," came from mrs. vernon gravely. "there was a time when i had unlimited confidence in you, and you could have retained that confidence had you chosen so to do. instead, you became a spendthrift. now you must go out into the world and earn your own living."

"what am i to go at?" he asked, in a hopeless tone. for the time being he seemed utterly crushed.

"you have a fair commercial education. you might become a bookkeeper."

"bookkeepers don't earn their salt!" he snapped.

"some of them earn twenty to forty dollars per week," put in robert.

"twenty to forty dollars! do you suppose i am going to live on a beggarly twenty dollars per week! perhaps a low-bred boy like you can do it. i am used to something better."

"i am not a low-bred boy," retorted robert, clenching his fists, at which frederic vernon fell back before him. "i consider my breeding as good as yours, perhaps better."

"i will have no further arguments or quarrels," said mrs. vernon, coming between them.

"aunt, do you mean to throw me off without a cent?" pleaded frederic vernon. "if you do that i shall starve, here among strangers. at least, pay my fare back to the united states."

"i do not want you to go back to the united states."

"then where shall i go?"

"i have been thinking that over. your best plan will be to strike out for some new country, say south africa, south america, or perhaps australia, where you can take a fresh start in life."

"i can't go to any of those places without money."

"i understand there are splendid openings in south africa, and in australia. if you will agree to go to one or the other of those places, and to keep away from the united states for at least five years, i will pay your passage money and give you a thousand dollars besides."

the young man's face brightened, but then it fell again.

"a thousand dollars isn't much," he ventured.

"it is enough."

"make it five thousand, aunt, and i'll agree never to bother you again."

"no, i will not give you a cent more than the thousand dollars, and robert shall buy your passage ticket."

"always that boy!" howled the young man. "cannot you trust me even to buy my own ticket?"

"i am sorry to say i cannot."

"you won't make it two thousand?" pleaded the wayward nephew.

"well, i will give you fifteen hundred dollars," replied mrs. vernon, weakening a little. "that will give you a splendid start in some new place. some men have made fortunes in south africa and in australia."

"i don't want to go to south africa; i might try australia. dick roberts went to sydney, and, i believe, is doing first-rate."

"you ought to do as well as young roberts. you have just as good an education."

"and how soon do you want me to start?"

"you must start within the next week."

"that is rather short notice."

"there is nothing to keep you here. you can find out when the australian steamer leaves, and what the fare is, to-morrow," replied mrs. vernon.

a long discussion followed, in which robert took but small part. in vain frederic vernon pleaded for more money and more time. mrs. vernon remained obdurate, and at last the graceless nephew bid her good-night and left. as the door closed after him the lady uttered a heavy sigh of relief.

"i am glad that is over, robert," she murmured.

"it was certainly a heavy trial for you," he said, with a smile of sympathy.

"i trust he doesn't bother me any more before he leaves."

"i think it won't do any harm if i watch him and see what moves he makes. he may try to play some game upon you at the last minute, you know."

"perhaps you are right, robert. but so long as he remains around i shall try to look out for myself."

the next morning robert met frederic vernon on the street, near the post-office.

at once the spendthrift caught our hero by the arm.

"come along, i want to talk to you," he said, with a dark look on his face.

feeling well able to take care of himself, robert followed the young man down a side street which was practically deserted.

"you think you are mighty smart, don't you?" began vernon, as soon as he felt that they were out of hearing of outsiders.

"i think i am smart in some things, mr. vernon," replied robert, as coolly as he could.

"you think it's a fine thing to have me shipped off to australia."

"it may prove the making of you."

"you want to get me out of the way so that you can get hold of my aunt's fortune."

"well, it will be a good thing for her and for me when you are out of the way. you are too dangerous a young man to have around."

"bah! what i have done against her doesn't amount to shucks."

"there is a difference of opinion on that score."

frederic vernon shook his fist in robert's face.

"you have me down now, and i can't help myself," he hissed. "but my time will come, remember that!"

"are you going to australia, as your aunt wishes?"

"that is none of your business."

"she has made it my business."

"do you mean to say you have been sent to watch me?"

"yes, i am going to see that you are going to leave england, as intended."

"then that is another score i will have to settle with you."

without a word more, frederic vernon turned on his heel and hurried away.

robert continued to the post-office for the mail, and then purchased a railroad and steamship guide.

in the guide he found that a steamer for australia would sail from liverpool on the next tuesday at noon. he also learned where tickets could be procured, and the rate of fare.

with this information he returned to mrs. vernon.

one of the letters from america interested the lady deeply.

"i ought to return to chicago at once," she said, after reading it. "there is to be a change in a manufacturing company in which i hold a large interest."

"well, your nephew can sail for australia on tuesday," answered robert. "we might return to new york by steamer, starting a day or two later."

that afternoon frederic vernon called upon his aunt again. he was quite humble now, for the last of the six hundred dollars procured on the forged check had been spent, and he was afraid mrs. vernon might cut him off entirely unless he agreed to do exactly as she desired.

"robert tells me there is a steamer for australia on tuesday next," said the lady. "you can take that, frederic."

"very well," he answered. "but i must have the money for the ticket. i am dead broke."

"i will give you five pounds to spend on an outfit and to keep you until you sail. robert will buy your ticket."

"i am old enough to do that myself," grumbled frederic.

"no; i prefer to have him do so," said mrs. vernon pointedly, and the nephew did not dare to argue the point.

the ticket was bought on saturday. then mrs. vernon announced that robert should see the young man to liverpool and to the steamer.

"i hope all goes well," said mrs. vernon to our hero in private. "you must make certain that frederic sails as intended."