t community, "or in the whole State of
Michigan, so far as I know," reflected the young man.

"As for friends, I wonder if I have any anywhere. This Tom Trefethen
claims to have a friendly feeling towards me, and, if he comes back, I
will try to believe in him. It is more than likely though that his
leaving me here is only a way of escaping an irksome obligation, and I
shouldn't be one bit surprised never to see him again. It seems to be
the way of the world, that if you place a fellow under an obligation
he begins to dislike you from that moment. My! if all the fellows
whom I have helped would only pay what they owe me, how well fixed I
should be at this minute. I could even put up with a clear conscience
at one of Tom Trefethen's two-dollar-a-day hotels. What an
unsophisticated chap he is, anyway. Wonder what he would say to the
Waldorf charges? And yet only a short time ago I thought them very
moderate. It's a queer old world, and a fellow has to see all sides of
it before he can form an idea of what it is really like. I must
confess, however, that I am not particularly enjoying my present point
of view. Must be because I am so infernally hungry. Odd sensation, and
so decidedly unpleasant that if my friend with the Cornish name
doesn't return inside of two minutes more I shall abandon our tryst
and set forth in search of a supper."

At this point in his dismal reflections Peveril became aware of a
short, solidly built man, having a grizzled beard, and wearing a rough
suit of ill-fitting clothing, who was standing squarely before him and
regarding him intently. As their eyes met, the new-comer asked,
abruptly:

"Be thy name Richard, lad?"

"Yes."

"What's t'other part of it?"

"Peveril. And may I inquire why you ask?"

"Because, lad, in all t'world thee has not a truer friend, nor one
more ready to serve thee, than old Mark Trefethen. So come along of
me, and gi' me a chance to prove my words."

CHAPTER II

PEVERIL TIES "BLACKY'S" RECORD

"Are you the father of Tom Trefethen?" asked Peveril of the man who
had so abruptly introduced himself.

"Certain I be, lad, feyther to the young fool who, but for thee, would
never have come home to us no more. His mother was that upset by
thought of his danger that she couldn't let him leave her, and so bade
me come to fetch you mysel'. Not that I needed a bidding, for I'm
doubly proud of a chance to serve the man who's gied us back our Tom.
So come along, l