t.

"Then I will report your case to the police."

"You're a mean fellow," said Tom, angrily.

"I begin to be sorry I interfered to save you. How ever, take your
choice. If necessary, I will pay the dollar myself, for I have
promised Ah King; but I shall keep my word about having you
arrested."

It was a bitter pill for Tom to swallow, but he managed to raise the
money, and handed it to Luke that evening. Instead of being grateful
to the one who had possibly saved his life, he was only the more
incensed against him, and longed for an opportunity to do him an
injury.

"I hate that Luke Walton," he said to one of his intimate friends. "He
wants to boss me, and all of us, but he can't do it. He's only fit to
keep company with a heathen Chinee."

Luke spent a couple of hours in selling papers. He had not forgotten
his engagement with Mrs. Merton, and punctually at ten o'clock he
pulled the bell of the house in Prairie Avenue.

Just at that moment the door was opened, and he faced a boy of his own
age, a thin, dark-complexioned youth, of haughty bearing. This, no
doubt, he concluded, was Harold Tracy.

"What do you want?" he asked, superciliously.

"I should like to see Mrs. Merton."

"Humph! What business have you with Mrs. Merton?"

Luke was not favorably impressed with Harold's manner, and did not
propose to treat him with the consideration which he evidently thought
his due.

"I come here at Mrs. Merton's request," he said, briefly. "As to what
business we have together, I refer you to her."

"It strikes me that you are impudent," retorted Harold, angrily.

"Your opinion of me is of no importance to me. If you don't care to
let Mrs. Merton know I am here, I will ring again and ask the servant
to do so."

Here a lady, bearing a strong personal resemblance to Harold, made her
appearance, entering the hall from the breakfast room in the rear.

"What is it, Harold?" she asked, in a tone of authority.

"Here is a boy who says he wants to see Aunt Eliza."

"What can he want with her?"

"I asked him, but he won't tell."

"I must trouble him to tell me," said Mrs. Tracy, closing her thin
mouth with a snap.

"Like mother--like son," thought Luke.

"Do you hear?" demanded Mrs. Tracy, unpleasantly.

"I am here by Mrs. Merton's appointment, Mrs. Tracy," said Luke,
firmly. "I shall be glad to have her informed that I have arrived."

"And who are you, may I ask?"

"Perhaps you've got your card about y