mine. I shan't interfere with you, and I shan't allow you to
interfere with me."

"Ho, ho!" said Martin, "when was you twenty-one, I'd like to know?"

"It doesn't make any difference when. Good-night."

"You don't get rid of me so easy," said Martin. "I'll follow you home."

By this time they had reached the corner of Broadway and Union Square.
Rufus was placed in an awkward position. He had no authority to order
Martin away. He might follow them home, and ascertain where they lived,
and probably would do so. Rufus felt that this would never do. Were
their home known to Mr. Martin, he would have it in his power to lie in
wait for Rose, and kidnap her as he had done once before. He would never
feel easy about his little sister under these circumstances. Yet what
could he do? If he should quicken his pace, Martin would do the same.

"What do you want to follow us for?" he asked. "What good is it going to
do you?"

"Don't you trouble yourself about that," said Martin, exulting in our
hero's evident perplexity. "Considerin' that you two are my children, I
may want to come and see you some time."

Here Rose began to cry. She had always been very much afraid of Martin,
and feared now that she might fall into his hands.

"Don't cry, Rose," said Rufus, soothingly. "He shan't do you any harm."

"Maybe he won't if you treat him well," said Martin. "Look here, Rufus.
I'm hard up--dead broke. Haven't you a dollar to spare?"

"Are you going to follow us?"

"Maybe I won't if you'll give me the dollar."

"I can't trust you," said Rufus, suspiciously. "I'll tell you what," he
added, after a little thought; "go up to Madison Park, and sit down on
one of the seats, and I'll come up in half an hour, or three quarters at
most, and give you the dollar."

"Do you think I'm so green?" sneered Martin. "I might stop there all
night without seein' you. All you want is a chance to get away without
my knowin' where."

"No," said Rufus; "I'll do what I promise. But you must go up there now,
and not follow us."

"That don't go down," said Martin. "You don't ketch a weasel asleep."

"Well," said Rufus, coolly, "you can do just as you please. If you
accept my offer, you shall have a dollar inside of an hour. If you
don't, you won't get a penny."

Still Martin was not persuaded. He felt sure that Rufus meant to mislead
him, and, being unreliable himself, he put no confidence in the promise
made by our hero. He prepared to follow him