nd he had ever entered. The
servant opened the bed and drew the curtains, and then retired.

"Gracious, this is style!" murmured the youth, as he began to disrobe.
"I wonder if I will ever own anything as nice?"

On the walls were a number of steel engravings and etchings, and on the
mantel rested a large photograph of a handsome, middle-aged lady.

Hal gazed at the portrait for fully five minutes. The features were so
motherly they appealed to his heart.

"It must be a picture of the late Mrs. Sumner," he thought. "What a good
woman she must have been! No wonder Mr. Sumner and Miss Laura miss her."

And then, as he thought of his own condition--that of a mere poor-house
foundling--his eyes grew moist.

"How I wish I had known a mother, and that she was like her," was his
soliloquy. "Or that I had a father like kind Mr. Sumner--and such a girl
like Miss Laura for a sister," he added, suddenly, and then he blushed.

His mind presently turned back to the missing tin box, and thinking over
this, he soon fell asleep.

He was up bright and early. When he went down to the library he found
Laura Sumner there, and the old broker soon joined them.

A hasty breakfast was had, livened by the bright conversation of Laura,
who was of a vivacious turn of mind, and then Mr. Sumner and Hal hurried
off to police headquarters.

Their quest was soon explained to the officer in charge, and two men
were detailed to accompany them to the old mansion up on the Jerome
Avenue road.

It had stopped snowing, and the early morning sun made everything
glisten. A large sleigh was procured, and one of the policemen and Hal
mounted the box and off they drove.

It was twenty minutes to eight when the vicinity of the old Flack
mansion was reached. The sleigh was driven around a bend and into a
clump of trees, and then the party dismounted.

"I'll go ahead, and see if anybody is around," said Hal. "If it's all
right I'll wave a handkerchief from one of the windows."

The youth was somewhat excited. Supposing Macklin had made up the story
of the meeting between Hardwick and Allen? Such a thing was possible.

"But no, he wouldn't dare," thought Hal. "He is thoroughly scared, and
wants to gain our good graces by giving the others away."

The deserted mansion was in a dilapidated condition. More than half the
shutters were gone, and the front door stood wide open.

Sneaking up along an old hedge, Hal gained the half-tumbled-down piazza
an