take any
pleasure in the treat. However, he relied on the promise of the
detective that he would sooth the maternal ire, and managed to reply
fairly well to the questions Steel asked. These referred to Mr. Wilson.

"Who is he?" demanded the detective.

"Mother's lodger," replied Alexander; "he's been with her six months,
and mother thought a deal of him. He was kind to me."

"Ah! Was he well off?"

"I don't know. He paid his rent regular, but he wore shabby clothes, and
was always out. I only saw him at night when I came home from the
office."

"Did he ask you many questions about the office?"

"Oh, yes. He said he wished me to get on--that I was a smart boy, and a
credit to my mother."

"So you are," answered Steel genially. "I'm sure she'll give you a proof
of her approval to-day. Now don't cry, boy." Steel shook Alexander, and
then demanded suddenly, "You copy all the letters, do you not?"

"Yes, I do," answered Master Benker, wondering why this was asked.

"And you read them sometimes?"

"Nearly always. I like to know what's going on. Mr. Wilson said I should
make myself acquainted with everything."

"I'm sure he did," muttered Steel ironically. "Did you read any letter
saying that Miss Kent had inherited a fortune? Miss Daisy Kent, who
lived with Mr. Morley at Rickwell?"

Alexander thought for a moment. "Yes, I did. It was a letter to some
lawyers in Sydney."

"Did you tell Mr. Wilson about it?"

"Yes, sir. He was always talking about people coming in for money, and I
said that a girl called Miss Kent had come in for five thousand a year."

"I thought so. When did you tell Mr. Wilson this?"

"Three days after Christmas."

"Before he offered to serve the summons?"

"Why, I hadn't got the summons then," said Alexander. "Mr. Asher gave it
to me the day before New Year. I said I was going into the country to
Rickwell, for Mr. Wilson asked me what I was making myself smart for. He
said he'd take the summons, and that I could go to the Hippodrome with
Jim Tyler."

"Which you did on your employer's money. You are a smart lad, Alexander.
What did your mother say?"

"Mother was out when I came home with the summons, and after Mr. Wilson
said he'd take it I didn't say anything to her."

"Then she thought that on the day before the New Year you were at the
office as usual?"

"Yes," snuffled Master Benker, "she did. Oh, Lor'!" as the cab stopped
before a tidy house in a quiet street, "here we are.