r of her brother's arrival, Mrs. Cunningham prepared a more
elaborate supper than usual, and to this it was owing that the three
entered the hall late, just as Philip was about to commence playing.

The squire and his companions were obliged to take seats some distance
away from the platform, and as his eyesight was poor, he didn't
immediately recognize as an old acquaintance the boy who was standing
before the audience with his violin in his hand.

"That's he! That's the young violin-player!" whispered Carrie, in a tone
of delight. "Isn't he handsome, uncle!"

"Wait till I get my glasses on," said the squire, fumbling in his pocket
for his spectacle-case.

Adjusting his glasses, Squire Pope directed a glance at the stage. He
instantly recognized Philip, and his surprise was boundless. He gave a
sudden start.

"By gracious, I couldn't have believed it!" he ejaculated.

"Couldn't have believed what, brother?" asked Mrs. Cunningham.

"I know that boy!" he said, in a tone of excitement.

"You know him, uncle?" said Carrie, delighted. "Then you must introduce
me to him. I want to meet him ever so much. Where did you ever see him?"

"Where did I see him? I'm his guardian. He ran away from me a little
more than a week since, and I never knew where he went."

"You the guardian of the wonderful boy-player?" said Carrie, astonished.
"Isn't it strange?"

"His father died a short time since and left him in my care," said the
squire, not scrupling to make a misstatement. "But I'll tell you more
about it when the performance is over."

When Philip first saw Squire Pope entering the hall it disconcerted him,
but he reflected that the squire really had no authority over him, and
consequently he had nothing to fear from him.

Should his pretended guardian make any effort to recover him, he was
resolved to make a desperate resistance, and even, if necessary, to
invoke the help of the law.

Meanwhile, his pride stimulated him to play his best, and the hearty
applause of the audience when he had finished his piece encouraged him.

As he was bowing his thanks he could not help directing a triumphant
glance at Squire Pope, who was carefully scrutinizing him through his
gold-bowed spectacles.

He was glad that the squire had a chance to see for himself that he was
well able to make his own way, with the help of the violin of which the
Norton official had attempted to deprive him.

In truth, Squire Pope, who knew little of