ds. No, they're
up to some game. Not that I care, as long as they get money enough to
pay my bill."

So the worldly-wise landlady dismissed them from her thoughts, and went
about her work.

Mr. Barnes and his wife walked up toward Broadway at a slow, decorous
pace, suited to the character they had assumed. More than one who met
them turned back to look at what they considered a perfect type of
the country minister and his wife. They would have been not a little
surprised to learn that under this quiet garb walked two of the most
accomplished swindlers in a city abounding in adventurers of all kinds.

Mr. Barnes paused a moment to reprove a couple of urchins who were
pitching pennies on the sidewalk.

"Don't you know that it's wrong to pitch pennies?" he said gravely.

"None of your chaff, mister," retorted one of the street boys,
irreverently. "When did you come from the country, old Goggles?"

"My son, you should address me with more respect."

"Just get out of the way, mister! I don't want to hear no preachin'."

"I am afraid you have been badly brought up, my son."

"I ain't your son, and I wouldn't be for a shillin'. Just you go along,
and let me alone!"

"A sad case of depravity, my dear," remarked Mr. Barnes to his wife. "I
fear we must leave these boys to their evil ways."

"You'd better," said one of the boys.

"They're smart little rascals!" said Mr. Montgomery, when they were out
of hearing of the boys. "I took them in, though. They thought I was the
genuine article."

"We'd better not waste any more time," said his wife. "That boy might
get out, you know, and give us trouble."

"I don't believe he will get out in a hurry. I locked the door and he'd
have to pound some time before he could make any one hear, I declare, I
should like to see how he looked when he recovered from his stupor, and
realized that his ring was gone."

"What sort of boy was he, Tony?"

"Better not call me by that name, my dear. It might be heard, you know,
and might not be considered in character. As to your question, he was by
no means a stupid boy. Rather sharpish, I should say."

"Then how came he to let you take him in?"

"As to that, I claim to be rather sharp myself, and quite a match even
for a smart boy. I haven't knocked about the world forty-four years for
nothing."

They were now in Broadway. Turning the corner of Amity street, they
walked a short distance downtown, and paused before the handsome jewelr