e so; though this is only a beginning."

"How can we prove that the railway shares belong to us?"

"Leave that to me. On the nineteenth of December you will meet me in
Pentonville. Till then we probably shall not meet."

At this moment Mr. Taylor made his appearance, returning from the
smoking-car, and Harvey Dinsmore left them.

"Well, Ben, has your friend entertained you?" asked Taylor.

"He has told me some very good news."

"I am glad to hear it."

In due time they reached New York, and Ben started uptown to call upon
Mrs. Hamilton.

CHAPTER XXXIV
CONRAD GOES INTO WALL STREET

When Conrad succeeded Ben as Mrs. Hamilton's private secretary, he was
elated by what he considered his promotion. His first disappointment
came when he learned that his salary was to be but five dollars a
week. He did not dare to remonstrate with his employer, but he
expressed himself freely to his mother.

"Cousin Hamilton might afford to pay me more than five dollars a
week," he said bitterly.

"It is small," said his mother cautiously, "but we must look to the
future."

"If you mean till Cousin Hamilton dies, it may be twenty or thirty
years. Why, she looks healthier than you, mother, and will probably
live longer."

Mrs. Hill looked grave. She did not fancy this speech.

"I don't think we shall have to wait so long," she said. "When you
are twenty-one Cousin Hamilton will probably do something for you."

"That's almost five years," grumbled Conrad.

"At any rate we have got Ben Barclay out of the house, that's one
comfort."

"Yes, I am glad of that; but I'd rather be in my old place than this,
if I am to get only five dollars a week."

"Young people are so impatient," sighed Mrs. Hill. "You don't seem to
consider that it isn't alone taking Ben's place, but you have got rid
of a dangerous rival for the inheritance."

"That's true," said Conrad, "and I hated Ben. I'd rather any other
boy would cut me out than he."

"Do you know what has become of him?"

"No; I expect that he has gone back to the country--unless he's
blacking boots or selling papers downtown somewhere. By Jove, I'd
like to come across him with a blacking-brush. He used to put on such
airs. I would like to have heard Cousin Hamilton give him the grand
bounce."

Nothing could be more untrue than that Ben putting on airs, but Conrad
saw him through the eyes of prejudice, and persuaded himself that such
was the fact. In reality