ather a lucky accident than a shrewd purchase."

It was after breakfast on the morning succeeding the sale of stock. Mr.
Talbot was preparing to go over to the house which he proposed to
purchase for a last examination before making up his mind, when the
servant entered the library.

"There is a boy down-stairs wishes to see you, Mr. Talbot," he said.

"Perhaps a boy from Crane & Lawton," he reflected. "Show him up."

Directly afterwards Mark Mason entered the room.

"Mark!" exclaimed Talbot. "What brings you here!"

"A matter of business, Uncle Solon."

"Then you will have to wait, for I am just going out."

"The business is important," said Mark significantly.

"Well, what is it?"

"I understand you sold yesterday the shares in the Golden Hope Mine
belonging to grandfather's estate."

"What!" exclaimed Solon Talbot, his face showing his surprise and
dismay.

"There were four hundred shares, and they were sold to Luther Rockwell,
the banker."

"Who told you this? Have you had any communication from Crane & Lawton?"

"No; though I know the sale was made through them."

Solon Talbot paused long enough to pull himself together. It would never
do to surrender at discretion. He would brazen it out to the last.

"Your information is partly true," he said. "I did sell some shares of
mining stock, but they belonged to me. You have nothing to do with
them."

"Uncle Solon," said Mark composedly, "it is useless to try to deceive
me. The four hundred shares were bought by my grandfather, and belonged
to his estate. Half of the proceeds rightfully belongs to my mother."

Spots of perspiration stood on Solon Talbot's brow. Should he allow
fifty thousand dollars to slip from his grasp?

"You audacious boy!" he exclaimed. "How dare you make such an
assertion?"

"Because I happen to know that the four hundred shares stood in the name
of my grandfather, Elisha Doane."

"That is a lie. May I ask where you got this information?"

"From the purchaser of the stock, Luther Rockwell."

"What do you know of Luther Rockwell?" demanded Solon Talbot,
incredulous.

"He is one of my best friends. Before buying the shares of the Golden
Hope mine he asked my advice."

"Do you expect me to believe such ridiculous stuff? What could you know
about the mine?"

"I have recently returned from California. On the way I stopped in
Nevada, and I have in my pocket a statement signed by the secretary of
the company, that four hu