"there is very little chance of my going to college, mr. nugent," answered gerald.

"why not?" asked the old gentleman, in evident surprise. "your father always intended that you should go. he has told me so more than once."

"did he tell you so within a short time of his death?" asked gerald, earnestly.

"yes; he referred to it as a settled thing."

"he left all his property to mrs. lane, and i am dependent upon her."

"that is strange. but surely she, knowing your father's intentions—"

"she has decided that i am to enter the employment of mr. tubbs, the grocer," said gerald, bitterly.

"but this is positively shameful!" said the old gentleman, warmly.

"i say so, too, squire," put in alonzo. "melindy's my sister, but that don't hinder me from sayin' that she is treatin' gerald meanly. she has put her own boy in his place, though he's no kith nor kin of the man from whom her money comes."

"is there another boy, then? i have never seen him."

"she didn't send for him till after mr. lane's death. like as not he never knew that she had a son. melindy's sly, and always was."

"i am not sure that i ever spoke to mrs. lane, though her husband was one of my few friends," said john nugent. "as you yourself criticise her, i will not hesitate to condemn her conduct. what i cannot understand is the manner in which gerald has been left out of the will."

"it does look cur'ous, squire."

"i suppose it will be very disagreeable for you to enter mr. tubbs's store, gerald?"

"yes, sir. i am not afraid of work, but that is about the last position which i should have selected for myself."

"no doubt. mr. tubbs is an ignorant and illiterate man, and your education will be thrown away in his store. i have a great mind to call on your stepmother and protest against her treatment of you."

"thank you very much, mr. nugent; but i don't think it would do any good. i have sometimes thought i would leave portville and try to make my own way in the world."

"shall i offer you some advice, my young friend?"

"i wish you would, sir. i am too young to decide what i ought to do."

"then enter mr. tubbs' store for a time, even if it is disagreeable to you. try the experiment, and see how your stepmother treats you. i shall be glad if you will call on me after a time and report. i was your father's friend, and i have reason to be yours. you have done me a great service to-day which i am not likely to forget."

the old gentleman spoke warmly. gerald was surprised, for until to-day he had scarcely spoken a word to mr. nugent, who had made himself a recluse, and was, perhaps, less known to his neighbors than any man in the village. now it seemed that he had a good heart and warm sympathies for others.

"thank you very much, mr. nugent," said gerald. "it's a comfort to me to think i have one friend who was also a friend of my father."

"you can rely upon my friendship, gerald," said the old man, kindly.

"i shall remember your kindness, mr. nugent, and i will call upon you soon. i am expected to go to work for mr. tubbs on monday."

soon afterward mr. crane and gerald left the house and returned home. they found abel and his mother sitting at the table in the sitting-room. they looked up with some curiosity as the two entered.

"how did you enjoy your call, alonzo?" asked his sister.

"i had good reason to enjoy it," said the blacksmith.

"did he give you anything for putting out the fire?"

"yes."

"as much as five dollars?"

"the squire is a liberal man. he gave me enough to rebuild my shop."

"what!" exclaimed mrs. lane in incredulous amazement.

"i've got in my pocket a check for three hundred dollars, melindy."

"and won't you have to pay it back?" asked abel.

"no; it's a free gift. it was a lucky day when i decided to come to portville, even if my own sister did go back on me."

"it was out of my power to help you, alonzo, but i am glad you have been so fortunate."

"how much did he give you?" asked abel, turning to gerald.

"he did not offer me anything. it was your uncle who saved his life."

"he might have given you a dollar or two," said abel; but in his heart he was glad that gerald was not remembered.

"i would not have accepted it."

"i would. i wouldn't be such an idiot as to refuse money when it was offered to me."

"you spoke the truth that time, abel," said alonzo, with a meaning smile. "i never knew you to refuse anything."

when it was half-past nine mrs. lane said:

"we go to bed early here, alonzo. i suppose you will want to take an early start in the morning?"

"yes, melindy; i didn't come here to make you a long visit."

even if he had, it was clear that this would not have been agreeable to mrs. lane.

"abel," she said, "will you show your uncle up to the small chamber in the attic, next to ann's room?"

ann was the servant.

gerald was a little surprised, as there was a larger room on the second floor. mrs. lane clearly did not intend to treat her brother as company.

"i don't want to go, ma," grumbled abel.

"i will show mr. crane the way to his room," said gerald, quickly.

"very well."

a small kerosene lamp was lighted and gerald led the way up the two flights of stairs.

there were two rooms adjoining at one end of the attic. they were small and had dormer windows. in each was a cot bed about two feet wide.

"is this the spare room, gerald?" asked mr. crane, with a smile.

"your sister doesn't treat you with much ceremony, mr. crane."

"no, that ain't melindy's way. howsomever i reckon i can sleep pretty sound in this little bed, if i don't tumble out."

"i hope you are not sorry for your visit"

"sorry? i reckon not, when i carry back money enough to rebuild my shop—no thanks to melindy, though."

"well, i will bid you good night, and wish you a sound sleep."

"thank you, gerald. the same to you, my boy!"

gerald went down-stairs and found mrs. lane and abel preparing to go to bed. he took a lamp and went up-stairs. from the force of habit he was about to go into the room which had always been his, but remembered himself in time and turned into the little bedroom. he heard abel moving about in his old room, and his thoughts were bitter.

"my place is taken by a stranger," he said. "how long shall i be able to stand it? once i had a home, but now all is changed!"

gerald may be pardoned for feeling melancholy. the death of his father had made a great change for him. but the most bitter thought was that all this had happened with the concurrence of his father. he might easily have been provided for and made independent of his stepmother, but this had not been done. now, as he looked forward, his prospects seemed far from bright. though his father had died rich, he was penniless and had his own way to make. however, gerald had a healthy nature and he did not allow sad thoughts long to hold sway over him.

he was soon sound asleep.

how long he slept he did not know, but suddenly he became wide awake. his hearing was keen and he seemed to hear something moving in the next room.

"is abel up, i wonder?" he said to himself.

a dark figure was bending over the bed

just then he heard a scream, and, bounding out of bed, he dashed into the next room.

there in the faint light—for there was a moon—he saw a dark figure bending over the bed. the intruder looked like a tramp, and was grasping abel by the throat.

"shut up, you viper!" he exclaimed. "if you don't i'll choke you!"

gerald comprehended the situation. the intruder was a burglar, who had been interrupted in his work by abel's outcry, and was trying to stifle his screams.