abo

more cheery command than this given as the Wes

n invalid, let alone a lively, happy boy escaping from what he considered thrall

ous lunch for him, and had even unbent so far as to declare that she had believed from the first that he knew nothing about the missing diamond bracelet. All this, however, had been the prefac

own on his face, and he fixed his glance on Frank as though his eyes were

e thought the rope had been cut, while others were of the opin

rough the open car window, and Tipton faded away in the distance. Then he

ank soon exhausted this literary fund. Then he bought some oranges from the train boy and had a lively chat with h

for half an hour. Frank was glad to walk about and stretch his limbs. When leaving t

rance of a boy sullen and unhappy over some circumstance. Frank thought he had never seen a more dissatisfied face than that of thi

u're in one of your tantrums. Just see if you can't get some of your natural

d a seat across the aisle and directly in front of Frank. He occupied himself looking over a weekly farm

quired Frank in

seat. He turned a sullen face on Frank. There w

ugh," he

n't it?" propounded Frank,

pugnaciously at our hero, "tr

nished Frank, "I never d

did! Lem

and a funny book I want you to enjoy," and he placed the articl

e of the farmer on a broad grin. The

ciable, hey?

eem strange to hi

" declared the farmer. "I

his fathe

ugly varmint. Why, he'd ought to be the happiest critter in Christendom. He's got eight step-brothers and step-sisters. W

well all the time," s

an ox. No, sir-ree, nateral depravity, I say. I

ank mentally, and then the conversation

f than he was, though, for Frank had kind-hearted, affectionate parents, while the farmer boy was motherless. The latter had eaten half of the orange and was quite engros

. He had a very solemn face and wore a black ti

fter a sharp look about the coach this n

he inquired in a poli

the farmer heartily. "Sit

ood company," observed the ne

" questioned the

ng to a

igh re

a br

own brother last year. Bill was a hustling ch

e," explained the man, namin

mer. "Been there. Went to the ba

of mine is an offi

the mayor, there, too; sort of a distant rela

kind of a country directory. Without attracting the attention of his companion, the stranger glanc

d finally. "You mea

!" exclaime

w him. He is a

er. "Why, we're quite acquainted,

. "This is getting interesting. Sure as