he ready answer.

"Then you are not like some men I have met," said Joe, and told about
Ulmer Montgomery and his so-called antiquities.

"That man will never amount to anything, Joe--mark my words. He will
always be a hanger-on as we call them, in the business world."

"I believe you, sir."

"Honesty pays in the long run. A rogue may make something at the start
but sooner or later he will find himself exposed."

Maurice Vane remained at the hotel for a week and then left to go to
Chicago on business. From that point he was going to Montana as soon as
the weather permitted.

After that several weeks slipped by without anything unusual happening.
During those days Joe fell in again with Felix Gussing.

"We are going to move to Riverside," said the dude, if such he may still
be called, although he was a good business man. "I have rented a house
there--the old Martin place--and if you ever come to the town you must
visit us."

"Thank you, I will," answered our hero.

"My wife thinks a great deal of you and you must stop at the house
during your stay at Riverside," went on Felix Gussing.

A change came for Joe much quicker than was anticipated. One night, late
in the winter, he was just preparing to retire, when he smelt smoke.
He ran out of his room and to an air shaft and saw the smoke coming up
thickly.

"The hotel must be on fire!" he thought. "If it is, I'll have to notify
the management!"

He jumped rather than ran down the several stairways to the hotel
office. Here he told the proprietor and the cashier. An examination was
made and the fire was located in the laundry.

"Go and awaken all the guests," said Mr. Drew, and Joe ran off to do
as bidden. Other boys did the same, and before long the guests were
hurrying through the hallways and down the elevators and stairs.

By this time the smoke was coming thickly, and presently a sheet of
flame burst through at the rear of the hotel. The fire alarm had been
given and several engines and a hook-and-ladder company dashed on the
scene.

"Are your guests all out?" demanded a police officer.

"I believe so," answered Mr. Drew.

"I'm going to take a look around," said Joe, and darted upstairs once
more.

He visited room after room, only to find them empty. From the rear of
the hotel came the crackling of flames and down in the street the fire
engines were pounding away, sending their streams of water into the
structure.

On the third floor of the buil