re the appearance of her late visitor, but her heart was alive to
the appeal of a hungry man.

"Sit down, sir," she said, "and I'll make some hot tea, and that with
some bread and butter and cold meat will refresh you."

"Thank you, ma'am, I ain't overpartial to tea, and my doctor tells me I
need whisky. You don't happen to have any whisky in the house, do you?"

"This is a temperance house," said Chester, "we never keep whisky."

"Well, maybe I can get along with the tea," sighed the tramp, in
evident disappointment.

"You look strong and healthy," observed Mrs. Rand.

"I ain't, ma'am. Looks is very deceiving. I've got a weakness here,"
and he touched the pit of his stomach, "that calls for strengthenin'
drink. But I'll be glad of the victuals."

When the table was spread with an extemporized supper, the unsavory
visitor sat down, and did full justice to it. He even drank the tea,
though he made up a face and called it "slops."

"Where did you come from, sir?" asked Mrs. Rand.

"From Chicago, ma'am."

"Were you at work there? What is your business?"

"I'm a blacksmith, ma'am."

"I thought you were a machinist and came from Pittsburg," interrupted
Chester, in surprise.

"I came here by way of Pittsburg," answered the tramp, coughing. "I am
machinist, too."

"His stories don't seem to hang together," thought Chester.

After supper the tramp, who said his name was Robert Ramsay, took out
his pipe and began to smoke. If it had not been a cold evening, Mrs.
Rand, who disliked tobacco, would have asked him to smoke out of doors,
but as it was she tolerated it.

Both Chester and his mother feared that their unwelcome visitor would
ask to stay all night, and they would not have felt safe with him in
the house, but about a quarter past ten he got up and said he must be
moving.

"Good-night, and good luck to you!" said Chester.

"Same to you!" returned the tramp.

"I wonder where he's going," thought Chester.

But when the next morning came he heard news that answered this
question.

CHAPTER VII.

SILAS TRIPP MAKES A DISCOVERY.

When Silas Tripp went into his store the next day he was startled to
find a window in the rear was partially open.

"How did that window come open, Abel?" he asked, as Abel Wood entered
the store.

"I don't know, sir."

"It must have been you that opened it," said his employer, sternly.

"I didn't do it, Mr. Tripp, honest I didn't," declared Abel, earnestly.