e seated, Mr. Cheekerton?" said the lawyer, looking up from
the card.

"Thank you, sir!"

The young man drew the chair indicated by Sharpman closer to the
table, and settled himself comfortably into it.

"It is somewhat unusual, I presume," he said, "for attorneys to
receive calls on Sunday evening:--

"But this motto I hold as a part of my creed,
The better the day, why, the better the deed.

"Excuse me! Oh, no; it doesn't hurt. I've been composing extemporaneous
verse like that for fifteen years. Philosophy and rhyme are my forte.
I've had some narrow escapes to be sure, but I've never been deserted
by the muses. Now, as to my Sunday evening call. It seemed to be
somewhat of a necessity, as I understand that the evidence will be
closed in the Burnham case at the opening of court to-morrow. Am
I right?"

"It may be, and it may not be," said Sharpman, somewhat curtly. "I am
not acquainted with the plans of the defence. Are you interested in
the case?"

"Indirectly, yes. You see, Craft and I have been friends for a good
many years, we have exchanged confidences, and have matured plans
together. I am pretty well acquainted with the history of his
successes and his failures."

"Then it will please you to know that he is pretty certain to meet
with success in the Burnham suit."

"Yes? I am quite delighted to hear it:--

"Glad to know that wit and pluck
Bring their owner such good-luck.

"But, between you and me, the old gentleman has brought some faculties
to bear on this case besides wit and pluck."

"Ah, indeed?"

"Yes, indeed! You see, I knew all about this matter up to the time
the boy ran away. To tell the truth, the old man didn't treat the lad
just right, and I gave the little fellow a pointer on getting off. Old
Simon hasn't been so friendly to me since, for some reason.

"Strange what trifles oft will tend
To cool the friendship of a friend.

"In fact, I was not aware that the boy had been found, until I heard
that fact from his own lips one day last fall, in Wilkesbarre. We
met by a happy chance, and I entertained him on account of old
acquaintance's sake."

In a moment the story of Ralph's adventure in Wilkesbarre returned to
Sharpman, and he recognized Rhyming Joe as the person who had swindled
the lad out of his money. He looked at the young man sternly, and
said:--

"Yes; I have heard the story of that chance meeting. You were
very liberal on account of old acquaintance's