e was deliberately seeking to defraud his mother and himself, he
decided that he was justified in doing so. Accordingly he put the
memorandum carefully in his pocketbook, and opening the chamber door
prepared to go down-stairs.

Just then Solon Talbot opened his eyes.

"Where am I?" he asked, in temporary bewilderment.

"In the Merchants' Hotel," replied Mark. "Don't you remember the
accident of last night?"

"Oh, yes," answered Solon shuddering. "Where are you going?"

"Out to telegraph to my mother."

"You have my telegram?"

"Yes."

Mark went out and despatched two telegrams, one to his mother, and the
second to Mr. Swan. The latter ran thus: "There has been a railroad
accident, but I am all right. Nothing lost."

The last two words were intended to assure the jeweler of the safety of
the diamond pin.

Mark ascertained that the next train westward would start at eleven
o'clock, and so reported to his uncle.

"I shall go by the next train," he said.

As they went up to the office to pay their bills, the clerk asked Mr.
Talbot, "Do you pay for this young man as well as yourself?"

Solon Talbot hesitated and looked confused.

"No," answered Mark promptly, "I pay for myself."

He drew out a ten-dollar bill and tendered it to the clerk.

"You seem to be well provided with money," said his uncle curiously.

"Yes, Uncle Solon, I can pay my way," replied Mark.

"It is very strange," thought Mr. Talbot, "how a common telegraph boy
should have so much money."

He did not seem to miss the memorandum. Had he known that it was snugly
reposing in Mark's pocketbook he would have felt disturbed.

CHAPTER XV.

A RAILROAD INCIDENT.

Mark pushed on intent upon reaching Cleveland. He decided not to stop
off at Niagara till he was on his return. He never for a moment forgot
that a great responsibility rested upon him for the safe delivery of the
valuable diamond pin intrusted to him by Mr. Swan. When it was safely
out of his hands and in those of Mrs. Loring he would feel relieved.

He was within a hundred miles of Cleveland in a car well filled with
passengers when his attention was called to a young lady sitting in the
seat directly opposite him. She seemed lively and was particularly
attractive.

Mark was too young to be deeply impressed by female beauty, but he
experienced, like most persons, a greater pleasure in looking at a
beautiful than at an ugly object. The young lady had been sitting alo