"It may be well not to eat very much at first."

"How kind you are! I must be two or three years older than you, yet you
care for and advise me."

"Consider me your uncle," said Chester, brightly. "Now tell me how it
happens that you didn't apply to some friend or relative."

A shadow passed over the boy's face.

"I have none in New York--except yourself."

"Then you are not a city boy."

"No; I came from Portland."

"In Maine?"

"No; in Oregon."

"You have relatives there?"

"A mother."

"I suppose you hear from her?"

Edward Granger was silent.

"I don't wish you to tell me if you have an objection."

"Yes, I will tell you, for I think you are a true friend. My mother is
married again, and my stepfather from the first disliked me. I think it
is because my mother had money, and he feared she would leave it to me.
So he got up a false charge against me of dishonesty. My mother became
cold to me, and I--left home. I am of a sensitive nature, and I could
not bear the cold looks I met with."

"How long ago was this?"

"About six months since."

"You came to New York directly?"

"Yes."

"Where did you get the money to come?"

"I came by it honestly," answered Edward, quickly. "I had a deposit in
a savings bank, put in during my own father's life. I felt I had a
right to use this, and I did so. It brought me to New York, and kept me
here till I got a place in an insurance office."

"And you managed to live on five dollars a week?"

"Yes; it was hard, but I went to the cheapest eating houses, and I--got
along."

"But you had no money to buy clothing."

"I brought a fair supply with me. Now I am beginning to need some small
articles, such as handkerchiefs and socks."

"I wondered you would never go to supper with me."

"I didn't want you to know how little I ordered. You might have thought
me mean."

"Poor fellow!" said Chester, pityingly. "You have certainly had a hard
time. And all the while your mother was living in comfort."

"Yes, in luxury, for she is worth at least fifty thousand dollars in
her own right."

"I hope your stepfather has not got possession of it."

"He had not when I came away. My mother is naturally cautious, and
would not give it to him. He attributed this to my influence over her,
but it was not so. She is of Scotch descent, and this made her careful
about giving up her property. She allowed him the use of the income,
only reserving a little for herself."