to say that tony was not startled would not be true. without a moment’s warning he found himself in the power of his old enemy—completely in his power, knowing, too, the desperate character of the man which would let him stick at nothing.

rudolph enjoyed his evident surprise.

i’ve been waiting for this,” he said. “it’s a great joy to me to have you here in my power.”

by this time tony had collected himself, and had become composed.

rudolph,” he said, “what makes you hate me so?”

“haven’t you tried to injure me—didn’t you get me arrested? do you forget that night in the old miser’s hut?”

“no, i don’t forget it, but you forced me to act as i did. but even if i did injure you, you took your revenge.”

“when, and how?”

“when you threw me into the well. how could you do such a dark deed? what had i done that you should seek to murder me?”

“how did you get out?” asked rudolph, giving way to curiosity.

“i climbed out.”

“how?”

“by means of the wall that lined the well. finally i got hold of the rope.”

“so that was the way, was it? i ought to have made surer of your fate.”

“how could you do that?”

“by throwing some rocks down on you,” answered the tramp, with a malignant frown.

i am glad i have not such a wicked disposition as you, rudolph,” said tony, looking at him fixedly.

take care how you insult me, boy!” said rudolph, angrily.

i have no wish to insult you. now tell me why you have lured me here? i suppose you hired the boy.”

“i did, and he did the work well,” said the tramp, triumphantly.

well, now, i am here, what do you want of me?”

“first, tell me how you happen to be in london? did you know i was here?”

“i knew you crossed the atlantic.”

“how?”

“i saw you buy your ticket.”

“what!” exclaimed the tramp, in surprise. “did you reach new york so soon?”

“yes. i lost my situation at the inn, for they did not believe my story about having been thrown down the well by a quaker.” rudolph laughed.

it was a good disguise,” he said. “so they discharged you? that was good.”

“i did not think so at the time, but it proved to be the luckiest thing that could happen to me.”

“how was that?”

“it led me to go to new york. there i found a rich and generous friend. i have been with him ever since.”

“as a servant?”

“no; as his adopted brother. he supplied me with teachers, and in little more than six months i have acquired as much as most boys do in two or three years.”

“so you have gone in for education, have you?” said rudolph, sneering.

yes. could i go in for anything better?”

“and you consider yourself a young gentleman now, do you?”

“that is the rank i hold in society,” said tony, calmly.

and you forget that you were once tony the tramp?”

“no, rudolph, i have not forgotten that. it was not my fault, and i am not ashamed of it. but i should be ashamed if i had not left that kind of life as soon as i was able.”

“by heaven, you shall go back to it!” said rudolph, malignantly.

i never will,” answered tony, gently, but firmly.

i will force you to it.”

“neither you nor anyone else can force me to it. i will black boots in the streets first.”

“that will suit me just as well,” said the tramp, laughing maliciously. “you have grown too proud. i want to lower your pride, young popinjay!”

“i am not afraid of anything you can do to me, rudolph,” said tony, bravely.

suppose i choose to kill you?”

“you won’t dare do it. we are not in the woods now.”

tony had hit the truth. rudolph did not dare to kill him, though he would have been glad to. but he knew that he would himself be arrested, and he had more to live for now than formerly. he had an income, and comfortably provided for, and he did not choose to give up this comfortable and independent life.

no,” he said, “i won’t kill you; but i will be revenged for all that. first i will keep you from that generous friend of yours.”

“what will he think has become of me?” thought tony, uneasily.

a thought came to him. he would appeal to the man’s love of money.

rudolph,” he said, “i am afraid my friend will be uneasy about me. if you will let me go i will give you ten pounds that i have in my pocket.”

“i don’t believe you have so much money,” said rudolph, cunningly.

tony fell into the snare unsuspectingly. he drew out his pocketbook and displayed two five-pound notes on the bank of england.

rudolph quickly snatched them from him.

they are mine already,” he said, with a mocking laugh.

so i see,” said tony, coolly; “but i was about to offer you fifty pounds besides.”

“have you the money in your pocketbook?”

“no, i haven’t, but i could get it from mr. spencer?”

“it don’t go down, tony,” said rudolph, shaking his head. “i am not so much in need of money as to pay so dearly for it. listen to me. if you have been lucky, so have i. i have an income, safe and sure, of one hundred and fifty pounds.”

“you have!” exclaimed tony, surprised.

yes.”

“do you hold any position?”

“no; i merely promise to keep my mouth shut.”

“is it about me?”

“yes. the long and the short of it is that there is an english estate, bringing in two thousand pounds rental, that of right belongs to you.”

“to me—an estate of two thousand pounds a year!” exclaimed tony, in astonishment.

“yes; the party who owns it pays me an income as hush money. i have only to say the word, and the estate will be yours, tony.”

“say the word, rudolph, and you shall have the same income,” entreated tony. “it isn’t the money i so much care for, but i want to know who i am. i want to be restored to my rightful place in society. is my mother living?”

“no.”

“nor my father?”

“no.”

tony looked sober.

then i should not care so much for the money. still, it ought to be mine.”

“of course it ought,” said rudolph, gloating over the boy’s emotion.

you shall lose nothing by telling me—by becoming my friend. i will never refer to the past—never speak of what happened in america.”

“no doubt,” sneered rudolph, “but it can’t be.”

“why can’t it be?”

“because i hate you!” hissed the tramp, with a baleful look. “not another word. it’s no use. i shall lock you up here for the present, while i am out. when i come back i will let you know what i am going to do to you.”

he left the room, locking the door behind him.

tony sat down to reflect upon the strange position in which he was placed.