oney, and so informed Mrs. Crawford."

"I am not at all surprised. Peter is mean enough to steal or do anything
else. What did my stepmother say?"

"She was very angry, and threatened to discharge Jane; but, as no one
would be left to attend to the dinner, I presume she is likely to stay."

"I ought to be forming some plan," said Carl, thoughtfully.

"Wait till you hear from home. Julia will see that your time is well
filled up till then. Dismiss all care, and enjoy yourself while you
may."

This seemed to be sensible advice, and Carl followed it. In the evening
some young people were invited in, and there was a round of amusements
that made Carl forget that he was an exile from home, with very dubious
prospects.

"You are all spoiling me," he said, as Gilbert and he went upstairs to
bed. "I am beginning to understand the charms of home. To go out into
the world from here will be like taking a cold shower bath."

"Never forget, Carl, that you will be welcome back, whenever you feel
like coming," said Gilbert, laying his band affectionately on Carl's
shoulder. "We all like you here."

"Thank you, old fellow! I appreciate the kindness I have received here;
but I must strike out for myself."

"How do you feel about it, Carl?"

"I hope for the best. I am young, strong and willing to work. There must
be an opening for me somewhere."

The next morning, just after breakfast, a letter arrived for Carl,
mailed at Edgewood Center.

"Is it from your father?" asked Gilbert.

"No; it is in the handwriting of my stepmother. I can guess from that
that it contains no good news."

He opened the letter, and as he read it his face expressed disgust and
annoyance.

"Read it, Gilbert," he said, handing him the open sheet.

This was the missive:

"CARL CRAWFORD:--AS your father has a nervous attack, brought on by
your misconduct, he has authorized me to write to you. As you are but
sixteen, he could send for you and have you forcibly brought back,
but deems it better for you to follow your own course and suffer the
punishment of your obstinate and perverse conduct. The boy whom you sent
here proved a fitting messenger. He seems, if possible, to be even worse
than yourself. He was very impertinent to me, and made a brutal and
unprovoked attack on my poor boy, Peter, whose devotion to your father
and myself forms an agreeable contrast to your studied disregard of our
wishes.

"Your friend had the assurance to ask for