ne of the oldest in the business, I guess.
He was taken ill just before you joined the show, but he's coming back
next week. I often ask his advice, and I'd like to now--about this
letter."

"Why don't you ask mine?" suggested Joe, half jokingly.

CHAPTER IX

BILL WATSON'S IDEA

Helen Morton gave Joe a glance and a smile. Then she looked at the
open letter in her hand.

"That's so," she said brightly. "I never thought of that. I wonder if
you could advise me?"

"Why, I'm one of the best advisers you ever saw," returned Joe,
laughingly.

"I know you're good on the trapeze," Helen admitted, "but have you had
any business experience?"

"Well, I was in business for myself after I ran away from home and
joined the professor," answered Joe. "That is, I had to attend to some
of his business. What is it all about?"

"That's just what I want to know," answered the young circus rider.
"It's a puzzle to me."

She again referred to the letter, then with a sort of hopeless gesture
held it out to Joe. He took it and cried:

"Why, what's this? It's all torn up," and he exhibited a handful of
scraps of paper.

"Oh--Joe!" Helen gasped. "How did that happen?"

"Just a mistake," he replied. With a quick motion of his hand he held
out the letter whole and untorn.

"Oh--oh!" she stammered. Then, laughing, added: "Is that one of your
sleight-of-hand tricks?"

"Yes," Joe nodded. When Helen handed him the letter he happened to be
holding the scraps of a circular letter he had just received and torn
up. It occurred to him, just for a joke, to make Helen believe her
letter had suddenly gone to pieces. It was one of Joe's simplest
tricks, and he often did them nowadays in order to keep in practice.

"You certainly gave me a start!" Helen exclaimed. "I had hardly read
the letter myself. It's quite puzzling."

"Do you want me to read it--and advise you?" asked Joe.

"If you will--and can--yes."

Joe hastily glanced over the paper. He saw in a moment that it was
from a New York firm of lawyers. The body of the letter read:

"We are writing to you to learn if, by any chance, you are the daughter
of Thomas and Ruth Morton who some years ago lived in San Francisco.
In case you are, and if your grandfather on your father's side was a
Seth Morton, we would be glad to have you notify us of these facts,
sending copies of any papers you may have to prove your identity.

"For some years we have been sear