-known pawnshop on the Bowery."

"Did you learn who left it?" asked Mrs. Hamilton eagerly.

"A boy--about sixteen years of age--who gave the name of Ben Barclay."

"I can't believe Ben would be guilty of such a disgraceful act!"
ejaculated Mrs. Hamilton, deeply moved.

CHAPTER XXVIII
MRS. HILL'S MALICE

At this moment there was a low knock on the door.

"Come in!" said Mrs. Hamilton.

Mrs. Hill, the housekeeper, glided in, with her usual stealthy step.

"I really beg pardon for intruding," she said, with a slight cough,
"but I thought perhaps I might throw light on the matter Mr. Lynx is
investigating."

"Well?" said the detective, eying her attentively.

"I had occasion to go into Ben's room to see if the girl had put
things in order, when my attention was drawn to a ticket upon the
bureau. You can tell whether it is of importance," and she handed it,
with an air of deference, to Mr. Lynx.

"What is it?" asked Mrs. Hamilton.

"It is a pawn ticket," answered Mr. Lynx attentively.

"Let me see it, please!"

Mrs. Hamilton regarded it with mingled pain and incredulity.

"I need not say," continued the housekeeper, "that I was surprised and
saddened at this evidence of the boy's depravity. Cousin Hamilton has
been so kind to him that it seems like the height of ingratitude."

"May I ask, madam," said Mr. Lynx, "if your suspicions had fastened on
this boy, Ben, before you found the pawn ticket?"

"To tell the truth, they had."

"And what reason had you for forming such suspicions?"

"I knew that the boy frequented gambling houses, and, of course, no
salary, however large, would be sufficient for a boy with such
habits."

Mrs. Hamilton did not speak, which somewhat embarrassed Mrs. Hill.
Mr. Lynx, however, was very affable, and thanked her for her
assistance.

"I felt it my duty to assist Cousin Hamilton," said she, "though I am
sorry for that ungrateful boy. I will now withdraw, and leave you to
confer together."

Mrs. Hill would like to have been invited to remain, but such an
invitation was not given.

"What do you think, Mr. Lynx?" asked Mrs. Hamilton.

"I think your housekeeper does not like Ben Barclay," he answered
dryly.

"And you don't think him guilty?" she asked eagerly.

"No; the boy isn't fool enough, first, to give his own name at the
pawnbroker's, and next, to leave the ticket exposed in his room."

"How then did it come there?"

Mr. Lynx was saved the trouble of